Zootopia: Remix
by randomnessx23
Summary: A tale of the duo told by Disney songs, with both of them together, what could go wrong? "Be Prepared" for life will swirl, from what is known to a "Whole New World". "Be Our Guest" and take my hand, come hear the tale of these "Best Of Friends". The real question is will she be his wife? Come find out in their "Circle Of Life"
1. A Whole New World

**#1 Whole New World - Aladdin**

Golden rays reflected of the still waters of the pond, causing it blend perfectly into the beautiful evening scenery. On the bridge over the waters sat two figures who leaned against each other, one being significantly shorter than the other. They remained there for a moment, taking in the sunset before them.

"Let's go home?" one said to the other as he hopped of the bridge an offered his paw to the other.

"Sure Nick, Let's go…home," Judy smiled and took his paw, getting off the bridge with a small thud as she landed on the ground. They walked, paw in paw, towards the apartment where they were staying, just several minutes away, making jokes and flirty comments as they walked.

"That was beautiful Carrots, haven't seen such a marvellous sight in a while"

"Yeah, it was pretty, especially how the sky just turned orange, it was- "

"Was talking about you, Carrots," he stared straight into her eyes, feeling satisfied as he noticed how they dilated in response to what he said. His signature grin soon spread across his muzzle as Judy giggled, she felt her cheeks flush and her heart start racing, nothing surprising anymore, she always felt like that around Nick.

They walked up flight of stairs that seemed to go on forever, Nick gave a groan seeing how much was left to walk, their room was on the twentieth floor, but they had only climbed up to the sixth. Nick would have preferred to take the elevator, but Judy insisted that they needed the exercise.

"Y'know Carrots, I'm just gonna go take the lift." Nick let out yet another groan before he made his way to the lift just beside the stairs, he pressed the button and waited patiently for it to arrive. Judy shook her head and gave a little grin, she worked her way up the fleet of stairs, determined to beat Nick to their apartment.

After a moment, the door opened and Nick slid into the elevator, it travelled a few moments before it stopped at the seventh floor. Nick was expecting another mammal to be on the opposite side of the elevator, but to his surprise no one stood before the opened door. This repeated itself for the next ten minutes as the elevator ascended to the twentieth floor, stopping and opening its doors at every level. It finally reached the twentieth floor and Nick stepped out, an annoyed and tired look on his face.

"JUDY!" Nick yelled twisting the knob of the apartment's door, to find that it has been locked. "JUDY! I swear I'm going to EAT you once I get inside!"

"COULD YOU TONE IT DOWN?!"

"YEAH SHUT UP!"

"AND YOU SHUT UP!"

"NO YOU SHUT UP!"

As usual, the neighbours, right on cue. He could hear short bursts of giggles coming from the apartment as his anger dissipated, how could he get angry at such a cute bunny? How could he get angry at HIS bunny… The thought caused a grin to grow on his muzzle, he knocked on the door once again.

"C'mon sly bunny, lemme in"

The door flung open and Nick lunged forward at the rabbit that stood before him, grabbing her up and carrying her up to the couch. He sat down with her in his embrace and started tickling her at all her sensitive spots, chuckling at how she struggled and slipped out from his grip. She joined him in the couch upon regaining her bearings, sitting in the space directly next to Nick.

"So, tomorrow's the big day huh?"

"Yeah, I'm finally catching up to you Carrots, next thing you know I'll be mayor of Zootopia!" Nick smirked pointing his snout up in an attempt to look proud, but instead got a punch to his arm as a response.

"Well, being a CSI won't be easy, you're going to have late nights busy cracking your mind trying to solve cases, interrogating suspects, flipping through tons of files, analysing millions of pieces of evidence, not to mention- "

"Carrots, stop, you're just gonna stress yourself out, at least we've got each other," he smiled sweetly at Judy, the same smile that brought reassurance and peace. He was right, through the rush of day, through thick and thin, they had each other. Judy leaned into Nick's chest and snuggled under his muzzle, Nick wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her with his embrace.

They cuddled on the couch and slowly drifted into a deep slumber. Indeed, tomorrow will be a big day.

...

...

" _Beep Beep Beep"_ the alarm pierced through the silence with a deafeningly loud boom. Judy forced her eyelids open, quite against her own will, she soon came to her senses as she rolled off the bundle of red fur beneath her and onto the cold, hard floor. Looking back, she could see the peace and joy that the fox had as he laid on the sofa, a big smile that stretched across his snout confirms this thought, this caused a smile to surface on Judy's muzzle, this lump to fluff, HER lump of fluff, was so happy. She mentally brushed off the idea, she couldn't have him, he wouldn't want a dumb bunny like her, he deserves a better vixen… A battle of mixed feelings of love and pain raged on in her mind, but the train of thoughts came to an end as her ears perked up towards the couch, Nick had started fidgeting on the small sofa. Judy walked towards the ringing noise, which was growing louder by the second, and pushed down on its buttons, silencing the dreadful cacophony.

"Get up Nick, don't wanna be late on your first day!" Nick let out a groan followed by a sigh.

"Just another minute, or two, maybe three, probably four, possibly-" glaring lights suddenly found its way into the dimly lit apartment as Judy pulled the dirty curtains to the sides. Nick hissed at the sudden bursts of rays as he brought his paws over his eyes, trying to block out as much of the sun as possible. Blinking, he saw a certain rabbit standing beside him with a big glowing smile, a smile as bright as the sun itself. A rush of joy filled his heart as he stretched on the little couch.

"Morning Carrots," he said with a grin, "had a nice sleep on a comfy pillow such as I?" Judy blushed as she shook her head and made her way to the kitchen, boy was she glad that the bright lights concealed her flushing cheeks.

"Today's the day! A brand new day, a brand new world of mysteries to explore!" Judy exclaimed in glee as she grabbed a bowl of carrots out from the refrigerator, looking back to see that Nick had almost dozed off again. "Come on Nick, it's eight thirty already, gotta get up and get going," she said with a bounce in her tone. Nick shot up from his lying position and grabbed a nearby clock swiftly.

"EIGHT THIRTY!?" He ran to his room and snatched his uniform from his closet before dashing into the shower. "I'm late, I'm late, I'm…. HALF AN HOUR LATE!?" Panicked, he decided to do without a bathe, he just combed his fur and slipped into his full uniform. Hoping out of the bathroom, he sees Judy already in her attire, ready to take on another hectic day. "GOTTA GO NOW!" Nick yelled as he picked Judy up by her waist, causing her to gag a little, grabbed the keys to the car and ran down 20 floors. He practically threw her to the passenger seat as he started the car and dashed off to Precinct One, not knowing that Judy had changed the clock so that it showed eight thirty when it was only seven.

"WATCH OUT!" Judy screamed as Nick almost collided with an adjacent car. "Nick stop, calm down ok?"

"Calm down? CALM DOWN!? I'M HALF AN HOUR LATE ON MY FIRST DAY AND YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!?" Nick yelled at the top of his lungs as he slowed into a red light. Nick was panting from the anxiety that rushed through him, then he took notice of the clock installed in their car. It read 7.08 a.m. Giggles were heard from the passenger's seat and it soon turned to hysterical laughter. He stared at the laughing fit the bunny was in with a confused gaze, then it suddenly hit him.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THAT!? JUDDDDDYYYYY!" Nick whimpered before melting onto the driver's seat, rubbing his temples to ease his headache.

"How else could I get you up from bed?" Judy replied with a grin, fully satisfied with what she has accomplished, "it's called a hustle sweetheart."

...

...

-Nick pulled over at a diner, still agitated at what Judy had done, near the ZPD. He got off the car and went straight through the doors of the restaurant without saying a single word, Judy followed behind, feeling a slight bit of guilt, but a greater deal of pride that everything went smoothly as she planned. She caught up with the annoyed vulpine, grinning slightly she tugged on the sleeves of his uniform.

"Sorry Nick, it had to be done or we'll still be stuck on the couch, you were quite fluffy to lie on anyways…" Nick let out a long sigh and glanced at Judy's paws that were on his arm with an unamused look. He brushed her paws off and joined the queue to order some takeaways, completely avoiding her gaze as he did so. Judy's heart broke as her ears drooped, _He.. rejected me? Did he really just push me away? What have I done…_ the guilt finally set in. Completely heartbroken, she stood silently behind Nick, analysing his every move to gauge how angry he truly was.

Nick's turn came, he ordered some take away and received the food almost in an instant. the diner was known for its lightning fast services as it was managed by a family of cheetahs. He turned around and grabbed Judy, before she could place her order, and dragged her out of the diner. He let her go once they reached their car, Judy hoped into the driver's seat as Nick got into the back seat, leaving the Judy alone in the front. Slamming his door, Nick leaned into the cushion with his eyes closed and hands crossed around his chest.

"Drive." Judy's heart started pounding at the hostile demand Nick had just made.

"Look Nick, I'm sorr-"

"DRIVE!" Judy flinched at his burst of temper and started the car, tears starting to flow down her cheeks.

After a minute of driving, Judy skilfully parked the car into a tight space between a tree and a trash can just in front of the ZPD, doing a rather good job despite the tears that occluded her sight.

*Sniff*

Nick's ears immediately perked towards Judy, _Is she crying?_ he thought for a moment, then opened his eyes to see Judy's staring right into his, her tears caused her amethyst orbs to gleam in the sunlight. He let out another sigh as he untied his arms and took Judy up from the driver's seat so that she sat next to him, uncontrollable sobbing soon came from the bunny as she leaned into Nick's embrace.

"I'm sorry Carrots, but don't you ever do that again, sly bunny…" he grinned and wiped a tear that was forming on her eye, she continued to stare at him for a few moments, then Nick got up and retrieved their breakfast from the front seat. "C'mon, let's go" Nick probed as he grabbed Judy by her paw and opened the door, "today's a brand-new day."

They paced into the ZPD, which was still rather empty. As usual, Clawhauser sat at the front desk waving enthusiastically at the fox and rabbit pair as they entered through the door, but his jolly vibe ceased as he gave a concerned look at the bunny.

"Judy, what's wrong? You guys had a fight? That's so adorable!" Clawhauser leaned his head on his paws as cute pictures of bunnies and foxes arguing flashed through his mind. Nick shot him a glare which successfully snaps him back from his fantasies. "Sorry." Nick shook his head and carried Judy, like how a mother would with a child, into their cubicle. This elicited another series of squeals from Clawhauser, barely audible as Nick closed the door behind him.

"So, what did you get for us?" Judy finally spoke up after her emotions stabilised.

"Well…" Nick took two sandwiches out from the bag and handed one of it to Judy. She happily snatched it from his paws and took a big bite. Chewing, she could feel that she had bit into something crunchy, something that tasted odd, but it didn't taste bad, it was actually quite delicious.

"Wow, this tastes amazing, what is in this?"

"Beetles," Nick said with a grin as Judy chocked, she dropped her sandwich on her desk and ran to the water cooler and gulped several cups of water.

"EWW! NICK!" she yelled as she downed another cup of water to get rid of the taste that lingered in her mouth.

"I had to get back at you right? I ain't going down without a fight y'know," Nick replied as he chuckled at Judy. "Hey, if you don't like it, then there'll be more for me, I don't mind at all!" his arms gesticulated as Judy sat back on her chair next to Nick's.

"Ok, you got me, where's my REAL breakfast?" Nick stared at her with mock surprise.

"Oh no, I forgot about that, guess you'll have to make do with all that we have now huh…" a wide grin crept onto his muzzle as a frown found its way onto Judy's. She brought her sandwich to her lips and took another bite, it wasn't too bad actually.

"Sly fox"

"Dumb bunny"

...

...

An hour passed in a blink of an eye, Judy and Nick are now standing idly before chief Bogo's door. Nick let out breathe of air that he was holding, excitement and nervousness took hold of him as he knocked the door.

"It's finally happening Carrots, we're officially CSIs!" Judy smirked at Nick, who was as happy as a child receiving a brand new toy on Christmas day.

"Alright, calm down big fella," just then the door creaked open to reveal a buff buffalo.

"Come on in," Bogo said and turned back into his office, taking his place on his big chair while the smaller officers took a seat on the enormous chairs, the ZPD only has several small mammals working in it, so they never considered getting any smaller chairs, except for those in their cubicle.

"I have to say, Wilde, you are full of surprises. You better not have cheated in your tests to get yourself here." Bogo glared at Nick as he smirked. "I would personally kick you out of here if you did so."

"Living on the 'other side' did have some upsides, one being you get familiar with chemicals and drugs quickly, not that I've dealt with any of that before…" Bogo now had a sceptical look on his face. He reached for a file lying on the corner of his desk as he put his gasses up his snout.

"I'm sorry I doubted you, you just don't look like the forensic type," Bogo noted while flipping through the file. He opened his desk drawer and reached into it, taking a card out from it. "Here you go," he passed the card to Nick and the file to Judy. Nick's ears shot up in ecstasy as he held the card in his paw, a soft squeak of joy could be heard as he slid the card into his pocket, Bogo chuckled at the sight of Nick's joy. "Have fun in the lab, don't kill anyone trying to act smart, do I make myself clear?" Bogo's voice was stern and firm, the officers nodded and got off the chairs.

"Thanks chief, let's go Carrots!" Nick dragged Judy through the door as he rushed to the laboratory, he had always dreamt of entering the lab, but all he could do was stare at the translucent glass and imagine the exciting things that went on behind it, today was indeed the best day ever.

"Wait, Nick," Judy exclaimed in an attempt to slow Nick down, but he was already by the card reader beside the glass door. "Sheesh Nick, slow down, I can barely catch up," Judy panted after running pass their office and towards the lab. Nick just stared at the door, ears erected and eyes wide.

"…"

"Well? Are you going to swipe your card or not?" Judy grinned as Nick turned to her.

"After a decade and a half, I'm- I'm finally here… I've always wanted to be like the cops on TV, playing with fancy equipment and cool tech, and here I am, officially one of them…" he smiled at Judy, a very sweet smile, she thought.

"So there's a THEM now?" they giggled at her remark, thinking about all that had happened up to this point.

"You've worked so hard to get here, go on, open the door." She smiled at Nick as he put his paw on the handle and pushed it open. A fresh new look filled his peripheral vision, mammals in lab coats, large computers, scientific equipment, chemical filled test tubes and so on, it contrasted the lobby of the ZPD, which, by comparison, looks dull and lifeless. He took a second to take in all that was before him, then, holding on to Judy's paws, he stepped in with confidence and pride. Indeed, this was a whole new world, a world of wonders, a world of mysteries, a world where he and his partner was ready to step into. And they were just getting started.


	2. For the First Time in Forever

**#2 For The First Time In Forever - Frozen**

"Why hello, finally got the news huh?" an elephant stood in Nick and Judy's way as they walked pass the busy laboratories.

"Hiya Heffalump, yeah, am so glad to be here," Nick said with a smirk, causing the elephant, who was cloaked with a lab coat as white as snow, to roll her eyes.

"For the fifth time this week, it's CSI Tumbo, and I can't say the same here. Please, don't get anyone killed," Nick held his paws up in a defensive manner at her remark.

"Just half a minute into the lab and I'm so close to getting the boot," he said while lowering his sharp ears, "gee, can't wait to get started." Tumbo shook her head and made her way out of the lab and into the rest of the building. "Why do people even think I'm gonna kill anyone?" Nick exclaimed in mock anger.

"You are a dumb fox," Judy commented and walked ahead of the vulpine, turning to her right and into a room. Nick was dumbfounded, _what did I ever do to deserve this?_ Turning his frown into a grin, he slid his paws into his vacant pockets and entered through the door where Judy had gone into. Stepping in, anticipating to see amazing things, he was absolutely disappointed.

"Seriously Carrots? A desk and a table lamp? Where's the cool computers? How about the fancy tech and all? How can your office be so bare?" Judy stared at Nick, feeling a little confused and bewildered, then a grin crept across her muzzle.

"Well those are in my room, this, this barren wasteland, is yours." Judy gestured to the empty room as she placed a paw on her hips. Nick was shocked, after all the effort he put in, after all the work he has done, this was not what he had expected.

"This is nothing like the dramas…" disappointment filled his tone.

"Got your hopes too high Nicky," Judy grinned from ear to ear pointing a finger at the fox. "Don't worry, these empty spots will be filled to the brim in due time, just gotta be patient." She said as she took a lab coat from the chair and threw it towards Nick, who caught it swiftly before it hit the ground. "Put that on, let's take a tour around, shall we?" Judy stepped out as Nick turned into the room, he let his imagination go wild, _the laptop will go there, the lava lamp here, file drawer at that corner, maybe some decor in that side…_ He smiled as he mentally pictured how his office would like after some housekeeping. After putting on his lab coat, which had his name sewn on just above the breast pocket, he exited the room.

Judy got into her lab coat and caught up with Nick, who was currently staring intently at a group of CSIs running some tests on pieces of evidence that were just brought in.

"C'mon, let's get going," Judy dragged Nick by his arm through a glass door and into a laboratory where a wolf sat in the centre. He was busy typing on his laptop, his fingers moving quickly in a rhythmic motion. The wolf occasionally turned to a piece of paper beside him as he tapped on the keyboard, but he slammed the laptop flap shut once he noticed the duo standing behind him.

"Gah!" He jumped, almost falling over his seat. "Sheesh, knock." Annoyance filled his tone, his attention soon shifted to Nick who was currently analysing the wolf. "You must be office- CSI Wilde," this caused Nick to smirk as he gave a slight bow. With a big smile that flashed his sharp fangs, the wolf got up and shook Nick's paws violently. "It's great to see you, I've heard so much about you from CSI Hopps."

"She didn't badmouth me now, did she?" Nick said causing Judy to glare at the confident fox.

"Nah, nothing of that sort, although she did say she li-" Judy jabbed the wolf in the stomach before he could continue. He staggered and gave a slight moan from the sharp pain in his abdomen. "Heh heh, sorry." The apologetic and innocent look on the wolf convinced Judy to forgive him quickly, she then motioned at him to continue. "Erm, right, introduction… Hi I'm Sheldon, you can call me Shell." He extended his paw towards Nick once again. He took it and shook it, less vigorously as compared to earlier. "So I heard you took up psychoanalysis during your training? If so, that's amazing! I mean, I am a psychologist myself…" Shell scratched the back of his neck and turned to Nick, who had placed his paws behind him.

"Yep, took it up, never used it," Nick said with confidence, and a little disappointment.

"Great! Read me." He was taken aback, it's not everyday somebody just tells you to analyse them for their amusement.

"Well, it's been awhile, and I've gotten a little rusty so-"

"Then allow me," Shell interrupted as he circled the vulpine as though he was his prey. Nick brought his paws from his back and into his pockets, taking several glances at the wolf as he did so. _Good, good, the barrier's broken…_ Shell thought as he continued to surround the fox with his presence. Nick, on the other hand, took notice of the key features of the wolf as he paced around him. _Brown fur contrasting his beige belly, blue eyes with a hint of grey, blunt claws, probably from typing, matt black nose and well developed canines, don't mess with this one…_ Nick's thoughts came to a halt as Shell stopped and stood in front of him, squatting so that he was at eye level with Nick. Staring straight into his emerald orbs, Shell collected his scattered thoughts and pieced it together as though he was putting a puzzle together, while being blindfolded, with his hands cuffed; this was harder than he thought.

"So?" Judy prodded, eager to hear the wolf's conclusion.

"This a tough one to crack…" Shell placed his right paw on the crown of his head, then brought it to his muzzle, rubbing it as he tried to apply all that he has learnt to understand the fox. "A well-constructed mask, hiding emotional instability, portraying fearlessness, seeking assurance." Nick turned to Judy who was currently listening to Shell, giving him her full attention. "That's all I got, with that persona of yours, I will never know who you truly are, even if I spend years and decades with you, but I do know one thing…" he gave a little sniff, then continued, "…she does." Shell pointed at Judy, "doesn't take a genius to know that, you guys reek of each other." He finished and gave a little chuckle, both the mammals blushed and turned their gaze away from each other, causing the atmosphere to grow awkward and tense. "Cute," he muttered at the scene before him, earning scowls from the both the officers.

"Eh hmm… so, any new leads?" Judy spoke after clearing a lump that has formed in her throat, her ears were still down and flushed. Shell turned back to the table and picked up his laptop and the sheet of paper just next to it.

"Turns out that it was suicide, no murderer whatsoever." Turning back to face Judy, his ears flattened. "All that time wasted on something so simple…" He placed his free paw over his face, disappointment filling his being.

"Ah, don't worry, at least we know there's no real danger out there that can harm anyone else." Judy tried to comfort him, but he stared back at her with an unfocused yet serious gaze.

"It was a suicide, Judy, someone willingly killed himself. The danger is as real as it gets." Nick stood in silence, letting the cold, hard truth sink in. "Anyways, I need to get this to the chief, see you guys later, dinner maybe?"

"Sure," Nick replied with a friendly smile before Judy could speak her mind, she had plans with Nick for tonight, _guess that'll have to wait…_ with a sigh, she nodded in agreement.

"Great!" Soon Shell disappeared through the door.

Judy turned herself until she faced Nick, her foot tapped rapidly on the marble floor, a frown now on her face. "What?" Nick asked shrugging his shoulders, wondering what he had done to make her annoyed. _Did I forget something? Is her birthday today? No, it's still a few months from now…_ She let out another long sigh, shook her head gently, then calmly stepped out of the lab, leaving Nick alone in his thoughts. _What was that about?_ He tailed the rabbit out of the now empty room.

"Evidence room to your left, reagent storage to your right…" Judy pointed out quite monotonously as they walked.

"I can see that Carrots, it's labelled on the doors."

"Suit yourself," Judy said before dashing off to her office, a mild frown still lingered. Nick ran after her, giving a slight whimper as she nearly slammed the door in his face. Without any apologies, she hoped unto her chair and turned it away from the table, its back now facing Nick who has just stepped into the office. The blinding sunlight managed to pierce through despite the tinted windows, carrying the heat of the afternoon sun into the compact room. Nick felt irritation building up in him, his patience started to thin.

"Spill it Carrots, what's wrong?" Nick held his paws up and waited for Judy to respond. It took a while, but she finally spoke up in a tiny and barely audible voice, but Nick's sharp hearing could pick it up anyways.

"…are you, eh, free tomorrow evening?" she peeped at Nick from the corner of her eye, her ears remained flat against her head, her cheeks covered with a tone of red. His heart softened.

"Sure, anything for my bunny…" He picked her up from her office chair and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead, he could feel the heat radiating from her as she gagged, surprised at Nick's intimacy. Sure they were best friends, but Nick wasn't one to display affection so readily in public, _then again, he is a sly fox, a handsome sly fox…_ her blushed deepened. Placing Judy carefully back into her chair, Nick made his way to the door, "Remember, dinner with Shell later, then a movie after?" Judy nodded with a smile, followed by a thumbs up, the universal sign of approval. "Cute," Nick mimicked Shell and left.

...

...

Finally, after hours of meeting his new colleagues and getting familiarised with the area, Nick was ready to get started with his first duties.

"Suspect 13, a 45-year-old stag, claims that he was at home with his wife on the day 23-year-old Sylvia Woods, a wood mouse, was murdered. All the evidence points to him. We need you to talk to him, get him to confess, then we'll take it from there," a yak informed Nick, "as long as he presents any supporting information, we can take him away immediately."

"Got it!" Nick said in excitement, smooth talking was always his forte, and he enjoyed how he could hustle anyone with his silver tongue. He opened the door to the interrogation room, a warm cup of black coffee and a file occupying both his paws, and bravely stepped in. It might take hours to yield any results, or maybe just several minutes, depending on how the suspect responds and how cooperative he is.

"Good afternoon sir, how's your day?" Nick started after taking his seat across the deer. He had large antlers that branched out from his skull like branches on a tree, with his dark brown eyes he took a look at the small mammal sitting across him. He brought his hooves to the desk and spoke.

"Extremely delightful! When can I go?" Sarcasm filled his speech, though Nick was absolutely fine with that.

"Look, a confession is all I need, don't make thing complicated for yourself." Nick offered, but the buck ignored him completely. "Fine," he put the files on the table and got serious, "so, you like drinking? Then again who doesn't…" the stag brought his arms over his chest and assumed a defensive stance. "As in alcohol, just in case you haven't figured that out."

"Get to the point foxy," the stag now crossed his legs, frowning.

"Alright gramps, don't need to be so grumpy." The stag grunted. "August 15, you were in the SeaSide bar in Savannah Central, am I wrong?" He nodded in agreement, but his aggressive posture remained. "Were you drinking because your spouse was ill?" _where's this going?_ The stag thought.

"No, that's totally irrelevant. Plus, she's perfectly fine, you can check her medical records, she's as fit as a fiddle," the deer said in confidence, acting cautious not to expose any information that can work against him.

"Of course, a fractured arm and a broken rib in a month, perfectly fine." Nick flipped through a file and dropped it on the table. "Domestic abuse?" The buck pounded on the table with rage that had built up in him.

"ENOUGH! I'm done with the nonsense!" He got up, but Nick pushed him back on his seat with all his might.

"Stay" he glared at the deer, who forcefully stood back up, just to be shoved back down by Nick. "STAY!" His yell was followed by a growl, sharp teeth were now exposed dangerously. The stag looked out of the window on the wall of the room, then reluctantly leaned back into the chair. "Good boy." Nick said letting his temper subside as the deer returned to his defensive pose. "She's 'perfectly fine', so I assume you were too? I mean, your medical records show that you were, and still are, in good health." The buck nodded once again, slowly submitting to the authority Nick held. "So after a drink you went straight home?"

"…" the deer thought for a moment, carefully reforming his story to avoid any loop holes.

"Lemme help you with that, bucky…" Nick scowled, interrupting his thoughts. "No, no you didn't go back, instead you took a little trip to Rainforest District, didn't you?" he tossed several blurry photos on the desk, hoping to get a reaction from the buck. "Burying a body I assume?" The deer calmly collected the photos, took a look at it, and ripped it apart.

"You call that evidence? Please, even a child with a broken camera can do better." The stag taunted Nick, who was about to snap at any moment.

"Ok, fine, since you're such a great guy, why don't YOU tell me what happened that night." Nick emphasised on 'you' as he pointed an accusing finger towards the old deer.

He sighed and began, "Went for a drink with my buddies, went to Rainforest District to drop some of my pals back to their homes, then got back home as soon as I could. There, happy?"

"Oh I think I'll be happy alright." Nick grabbed yet another folder that was on his lap and laid it before the stag. Taking out the contents, a receipt was revealed. "Oooo, zinc and phosphorus tablets, typical supplements sold in drug stores." He threw it at the deer with mock enthusiasm and a grin on his face. "Seeing how you guys are healthy and have no need for any zinc or phosphorus tablets, especially at such a high dose, wow 50% is no joke."

"I think you're the joke here son." Nick tried his best not to lunge at the buck, he was getting on every single one of his nerves, and it has only been ten minutes into the interrogation.

"Traces of phosphine gas was found in Sylvia's digestive tract." _Game over…_ Nick thought. "So, let's recap: you got the supplements, in powder form, and went to the bar to get a drink… actually, no, you didn't buy a drink, but instead you got a drink for someone else." He smirked as the noticed the stag fidget in his seat, the discomfort of the truth causing him to lose his cool. "Maybe, just maybe, Sylvia Woods?" Nick read his face again, G _otcha…_ "So, you add the powder, both the zinc and the phosphorus into the wine, served it to the innocent mouse. She took it and you let the magic begin." Once again he stopped to check on the deer, he was sweating bullets listening to the horrifyingly accurate statements made by the fox. "Anyways, the zinc and the phosphorus reacted with each other in the drink, forming zinc phosphide. Clever, rat poison. Should I explain further?"

"You're doing such a wonderful and marvellous job, please do proceed," the deer replied, breaking down from the stress.

"Sure, zinc phosphide reacts with the water in Sylvia's stomach, forming phosphine gas that was detected by our CSIs." He stopped.

"Brilliant plan isn't it?"

"Whatever floats your boat bucky." Nick motioned to the guards and two rhinos entered the room and brought the deer out. "Well that was fun." He noted, gathered the documents and left.

...

...

Judy was still busy typing her report when Nick entered through the door, disrupting the flow of her tapping.

"Had fun talking to 'bucky'?" Judy smirked without looking away from the screen.

"Yeah, great fella, the world will be a better place with more people like him." Nick spoke sarcastically, still feeling rather ticked at the stag.

"He's gone for good, don't let him bother you too much, besides I'm almost done, then we can go."

"Go?"

"Uh, the dinner with Shell?"

"Well Carrots, isn't 3.15 a little too early for dinner?" Judy glanced away from the monitor to a clock that hung on her wall, it read 15:15.

"Hmm… wanna move the movie forward before dinner?" Judy asked with a big smile.

"Sure." The doe turned her computer off and hoped off her chair.

"I need to go keep up some stuff first, pass this to Bogo and we'll be off after that." She handed him a small carrot shaped pen drive. _Carrots, typical…_ He snatched it from her tiny paws and dashed off to the chief's office.

...

...

 _*Knock Knock*_

"Enter" a firm and deep voice rang through the hall. "Ah, Wilde, how's being a CSI coming along?" Bogo questioned after seeing Nick sit on the large chair opposite his own.

"No science stuff yet, maybe tomorrow."

"Satisfied?" Nick smiled brightly at the buffalo, he hasn't been this happy since the day he got his badge and joined the ZPD.

"Of course!" a joyful tone lingered in his words. Bogo chuckled at the vulpine. _Such a child…_ "Oh, Carrots wanted me to pass this to you." He placed the pen drive on the large desk and jumped off the chair.

"Nick, I'm…I'm proud of what you've become." _What's this? The old buffalo getting sentimental? Huh, that's a first…_ Nick grinned and gave a sloppy salute and walked out the door. _It sounds cliché, but today was great…_ he thought as he made his way to exit the ZPD. It can only get better from there.


	3. Best of Friends

**#3 Best of Friends - The Fox and the Hound**

The coupled walked out from the ZPD and into the busy city. Jokes and stories about the events that occurred today filled the air as they got into their car. With a flick of the key, the engines started and they were off for home.

"What are we planning to watch once we get home?" Judy asked as she slouched onto the comfortable car seat, the cushions were sufficiently soft that she could fall asleep for several days straight without feeling any discomfort.

"Y'know what, whenever we watch movies, we don't. Does it matter what show we watch? We just end up drowning all the noise and cuddle up together on the sofa," Nick said with a grin, using the corner of his eye to take a glimpse of Judy, who was currently attempting to regulate her heartbeat and breathing so that she didn't explode from the burst of oxytocin that ran through her veins, while keeping focused on the road. She relaxed after minutes of awkward silence.

"Let's watch something romantic." Nick choked at her remark, _hmm, sly bunny…_ "It'll make the cuddling more authentic," she smirked at her clever counter.

"Our cuddling sessions are as authentic as it gets… Unless, you want more?" Nick gave a flirtatious wink, causing the bunny to go haywire. Her ears dropped and turned several shades of red darker; her cheeks flushed so furiously that her grey fur could not hide it; her eyes dilated so intensely that her purple iris could no longer be seen. She just stared dreamily at the fox, _my fox…_

She chuckled in an attempt to break the tense atmosphere, turning to the window she looked out at the scenery to calm herself from the emotions. It didn't help at all, all she could see was Nick's reflection on the window, she wished she could just hug and kiss him right here, right now. She thought for a moment, then decided against it, their relationship, the trust between them can very well vanish if she did so. _Love at the cost of trust? What's the point?..._ She sighed and slowly fell asleep, negative thoughts faded as she allowed images of Nick to fill her dreams.

...

...

Judy drifted back into consciousness, fatigue still draining her tired body, staring at the screen for several hours straight, without any breaks, finally took its toll. She felt a series of annoying prods at her cheek, finally opening her eyes she took notice of the orange vulpine beside her, continuously poking her.

"Stop that," she swatted his paw off her face.

"53," he said, standing up next to the couch that Judy laid on, placing a paw into the pocket of his khakis while slouching lazily.

"What?" she asked, feeling a little fuzzy after waking up from her deep slumber, "53? What's that?"

"Total number of pokes to wake a bunny from her beauty sleep, I'll jot that down," he smirked, gaining a punch on his right elbow, "it's about 5.30 now, so much for the romantic movie, the cuddling however…" Nick said as he leaped onto the couch and enveloped Judy with his embrace, he could feel the heat radiating from the rabbit as she nuzzled under his chin. _Warm and cozy…_ she thought.

"Dinner's at six right? We should probably get changed." Judy struggled to loosen the predator's grip, but the whimpers that it made convinced her to stay. She leaned on his chest, hearing his heart beat in a constant rhythm, feeling relieved and thankful that it still did; the risks they take doing their jobs are far too great.

"Just a little longer, please?" his tone was innocent and sweet, a warm smile grew on her face as she allowed the tod to rest his muzzle on her head.

"Dumb fox."

"Cute bunny." Nick tightened his arms around Judy. They laid wrapped in each other's embrace for a very long moment, finally, and quite reluctantly, breaking off as the clock read 6.02 p.m.

"Off to dinner now." Judy jumped out of the fox's hug and landed gracefully on a rug, "the sooner we go, the sooner we leave-"

"The faster we return to cuddle." Nick grinned at the cheeky bunny, who was giving a knowing look at the fox. "Great, let's get to it then." He stood up and headed for the shower, excitement brewing at the thought of having Judy back in his arms again.

Judy shook her head at Nick's comment. "That sly fox…" she whispered as she took a turn into her room and searched her closet for a new set of clothes.

It took a full hour before they managed to exit the apartment, and they had Nick to blame; he sort of, no idea how, managed to dose off in the shower causing Judy to panic as he didn't respond to her calling is name, she thought he had fainted in the toilet.

"Sorry, lost my energy carrying you up 20 fleet of stairs," he said jokingly, receiving another punch to his arm, the second one that day.

"We're very late, it's like half an hour pass our meeting time."

"Sounds familiar now, doesn't it?" Nick poked Judy at her abdomen, she flinched and lost control of the car for a moment.

"NICK! I'm driving, stop that, STOP IT!" her raised voice finally getting through to the playful vulpine as he ceased his annoying prods. "I've already set the clock back, we're really late right now, no pranks whatsoever." Thinking back to this morning, she can't help but grin at her achievement.

"He'll understand; he's seems like a cool guy," Nick reassured, "take a left." He instructed as Judy obediently listened. "And we're here." Judy parked into a tight parking lot upon hearing Nick. Her driving skills have improved significantly; she could barely drive a metre without colliding with tree before she joined the ZPD.

They got off and went into the diner that was directly in front of the parked car. "Fancy," Nick noted as nicely arranged tables came into view. A large chandelier hung on the ceiling, it was made from many fragments of shiny, reflective, probably expensive, jewels. _Crystal…_ he thought, judging by how the lights reflected of the sparkling gems. Despite the elaborate ambience, the restaurant was not as high-end as it looked, informality was evident: the servants were friendly and casual, the food looked more of home cooked, heart-warming dishes rather than luxurious meals, it was very welcoming.

They paced through the diner and took note of a wolf who sat alone at a table which occupied a large amount of space. "We don't need such a huge table, do we? We are quite small mammals…" Shell shot up at the sound of the fox.

"Wow guys, 34 minutes 56 seconds, not bad." He crossed his arms looking irritated and tired.

"Sorry Shell, this dumby here almost made me call the paramedics," Judy said and shot a death glare at Nick, who casually raised a brow.

"Oh, what happened? You guys ok?" Shell asked out of concern.

"If you consider stupidity a problem, then no, we are definitely not ok." She gestured to the sloppy looking fox, who displayed a puzzled look.

"Please, Carrots, I'm the definition of intelligence." He smirked and took his seat beside the laughing wolf, Judy followed suit, giving off a little chuckle. "So sorry Shell, got a little, eh, caught up."

"Nah, it's fine. I'm starving, let's eat." Shell smacked his lips as three dishes came, the waiters set the plates gently down on the table, one plate before each mammal. They soon left with a smile.

"Err Shell, they haven't taken our orders yet, so what's this?" Judy asked, motioning to the plate of vegetables in front of her.

"Well, actually…" Shell placed his fork and knife down. "I went through both of your Furbook pages and did an analysis on you guys while I waited." Pointing at the fox and the rabbit, he continued, "I'm guessing these dishes will very well suit your tastes." The couple stared at Shell in admiration, not everyone could deduce another's liking in under an hour with limited information. They glanced down at the dishes: for the bunny, a vegetable lasagna with aubergine, carrots, and tomatoes stack on top of each other, covered in pungent tomato sauce with a hint of basil and a parsley leaf on top for decorative purposes; for the fox, a lemon and herb infused fish fillet with chips and a salad, drizzled with vinaigrette, on the side, it looked delectably. The wolf got himself a seafood platter with charcoal grilled prawns and calamari rings, the portions were so big, it could fill the biggest of mammals. Without another word, they dug into their meals.

In a blink of an eye, the plates were completely wiped clean off any traces of food. They got their dishes removed and refilled their drinks. Ordering some dessert, a carrot cake, a blueberry pie, and a marble cheesecake, they took sips of their drinks as they relaxed after the hearty meal.

"So you became a CSI…a year ago?" Nick asked Shell whose attention was slowly drifting away.

"Huh? Yeah, about a year ago. A year and a half." He answered, glad that his new-found friend was making conversation. "And you joined the force approximately two years ago?"

"About there." He took a sip of his iced tea.

"Funny how we never bump into each other, then again I'm always locked up in the lab running tests." Shell let out a sigh, he was tired from all the work, but it's a thrilling job, and that's what kept him going. _That, and another reason…_

"Mind if I ask, why did you chose to do forensics? I mean, you're a psychologist, why not go into research and other stuff?" Nick questioned, gaining another unfocused gaze from Shell. Judy just watched on as the males had their chat, occasionally taking a mouthful of the carrot and pineapple juice that was in her paw.

"Well actually, it's kinda personal…" Nick withdrew, not wanting to invade into Shell's private life, but he went on. "When I was young, I had some…issues." The cakes came as he spoke, _great timing…_ Nick thought, eager to learn more about this wolf he now called an acquaintance, _a 'friend' status will come much later…_ taking a bite of the big slice of cheesecake, he continued, "When I was a child, probably five or so, I was abused…" he gently placed his fork on the plate and took a deep breath before continuing, "…mentally, physically and…" looking back up at Nick and Judy, he whispered, "…sexually…" Judy dropped her fork, she has never heard this from Shell before. Emotions started to well up in the wolf and the bunny, the fox listened intently, but his rigid façade persisted.

"Oh my, Shell that's horrible." Judy could see a tear form on the wolf's eye. "You don't have to do this, not now." She tried to stop him but he held up a paw, determined to get this off his mind.

"The offenders were released after only 2 years of jail time due to their 'insanity', and that in itself is insane if you ask me…" he brought another chunk of the fluffy cake into his mouth and took another gulp of water to quench his thirst. "The doctors said that they had psychosis, y'know, losing grip of reality and all. The judge accepted the diagnosis and reduced their sentence dramatically, they could still be behind bars if it weren't for those doctors…" anger and frustration caused the wolf to give a hostile glare at the mammals in front of him, he soon let out a sigh and calmed down.

"Sorry to hear that…" Nick spoke up. "But I can't help but notice you said 'they' when you referred to the offenders." Concern filled the fox as he pressed on for more information.

"Yes, probably two or three of them were put to jail, can't really remember the details now and honestly, I wish I don't." he fell silent as the couple exchanged glances.

"So, what about psychology? What got you into that?" Nick averted, hoping to avoid further emotional distress in the other canine.

"I took up psychology, one, due to interest, and two, so that I can clearly decide whether someone is sane or not, psychiatrists these days can't be trusted." He displayed a disgusted look as he thought about the psychiatrists who diagnosed his offenders as 'schizophrenic', _they looked totally fine to me…_ "Got into forensics after that so I could make sure people don't have to go through what I went through, to see justice delivered to the victims."

"You are a great guy," Nick commented, feeling a tad bit more emotional as before, "your parents must be so proud of you." He said in an attempt to elicit a smile from Shell, but got a stream of tears instead. "I'm so sorry…" Nick, catching on to what the wolf had implied, immediately got up and went to the crying wolf, hugging him and patting his back to comfort him. He soon noticed that the bunny was also crying from the emotions that accumulated within her, _Now's not the time Carrots…_ Moments later the tears dried and Shell collected himself, giving a faint smile at Nick.

"Thanks…" he swallowed the rest of the cake while the fox got back to his own slice. "My parents abandoned me when I was about one, if my memory serves me well."

"You've been through so much yet you stayed strong… you're a great guy Shell." Judy placed her paw on the predator's lap, rubbing it gently to soothe his pain. His faint smile grew larger as his breathing returned to a steadier rate.

"Thanks for the evening guys, I should go now; a headache's getting to me." Shell said while pressing his fingers on his temples. He paid for the meal and left the diner with the couple, they parted ways after a series of hugs and waves. It may take a while, but they will grow closer, slowly but assuredly, they will be the best of friends…


	4. I See the Light

**#4 I See the Light - Tangled**

"That was way too much to handle," Judy said as they were driving back to their apartment, she glanced at Nick who was at the driver seat. A grin hung over his muzzle as he gave a gentle nod, "I know I'm emotional and all, but that was just way too much to take in." The tod gave another nod while keeping his eye on the road, "he's never told me about his past, what kind of friend am I anyway? I barely know when's his birthday…" this evoked a thought in the vulpine, _she doesn't know a single thing about me, why doesn't she feel guilty for that!?_ Jealousy crept into his wondering mind. "…that's just so sad I mean-" yet another nod from Nick, "are you even listening to me?"

"I can't concentrate, you're too cute when you whine." Nick's smirk grew as he looked over to the bunny with a lazy gaze. She wasn't blushing like he expected her to be, instead she gave him a dirty look.

"Do you even have a heart?" she said in a rather serious and offending tone. His heart broke, _of course, Judy, I'm just a mean heartless predator…_ He let out a sigh, then brought his attention back to the road, a blank expression now on his face.

 _Fine, silent treatment it is…_ she crossed her arms and looked out of the window. Watching the trees go by, silence quickly filled the air which caused Judy to grow restless, she started tapping her foot on the floor of the car to ease the tension.

Upon reaching a crossroad Nick slowed down, then made a right turn into a long, winding road. "Left, our apartment's to the left," Judy prompted, but he didn't react, "left Nick, left!" she tried her best to get his attention. "Wrong turn Nicky, this is right not left," still no response. "Hello? Earth to Nick, please respond," she said as her playful side sprang back to life after failing to contain it. She leaned towards Nick and her gaze finally met his as he took a glance at her, the tense feelings in the fox softened, a smile now replaced his emotionless look.

"It's been a long day, let's go somewhere peaceful to unwind, the neighbours are too loud." He could practically hear their cacophony booming into his ear as he spoke, Judy nodded in agreement. "Hopefully they'll be asleep by the time we get back."

"From?"

"You'll see," a grin found its place on his muzzle once again. The skyscrapers and tall buildings that were in sight soon vanished, trees and lush greenery now replace the city scenery. During the entire journey, Judy kept her eyes locked on the beautiful sights that passed by, _it's a perfect night for a date…_ happiness overwhelmed her as she let out a little squeal.

...

...

The car suddenly came to a stop as Nick turned the headlights off. Twisting the key, he cut the engine off. After removing the car keys and sliding them into his side pockets, he opened the door and led Judy out from the car. There were no streetlights or any luminous object in view, even the moon's rays were covered by the thick layer of leaves that were above them. _Rainforest, definitely…_ Judy concluded but was unable to verify; she was as blind as a bat. Nick, using his enhanced vision which enabled him to see in the dark, guided Judy through the forest, carrying her occasionally to prevent her from stumbling over protruding roots. The air felt humid as they walked deeper into the forest, Judy inhaled the air and let out a satisfying sigh, it was refreshing.

"Almost there, Carrots." Nick grabbed her by the arm, he pushed a big leaf that was in their way aside, light immediately rushed into their sight. Judy winced a little from the sudden stimulation, but soon recovered as she took notice of the beautiful scene before her eyes. Before the couple was a clearing where no trees obscured the view of the sky, only a handful of shrubs was scattered across the area. A pond was present in the middle of the land, a lonely tree stood tall beside it. Its calm and still waters reflected the bright moon that hung in the dark, starry night, indeed it is a glorious sight to behold.

"Woah…" she was speechless. Nick just smiled at her feeling impressed, then turned away to take in the sight. It has been awhile since he came here, but it looked as beautiful as it has been years ago, memories flooded his mind, memories of joy, love, grief…

"So what do you think?" he asked the bunny who was still in awe, her dreamy eyes met his as she lunged herself towards him and hugged him tightly. "I take it that you're happy?"

"Of course I am dumb fox," she said with a sly smile, they then took a seat on the grass just beside the pond. Judy decided to lie down and gaze at the stars in the sky while Nick remain seated, allowing fragments of memories to resurface, emotions started to well up inside of him, this area held a special place in his heart. _Heart…_

"Yes, yes I do," Nick said, Judy sat up straight and looked at Nick who was staring into the water.

"I'm sorry?" she was confused at his random remark.

"Yes, yes I do have a heart Judy..." She was taken aback, he never calls her by her name, he did so only on several occasions when he felt really emotional, seeing that tears started to roll off his cheeks, this was definitely one of those occasions. Wrapping her arms around the fox, she leaned his head onto her shoulder. The tod sobbed louder for a little longer, then got back up and stared straight into Judy's amethyst orbs. "I know, because it's falling into pieces…" he sniffed while brushing a tear off his cheek, Judy brought him back into her embrace more tightly.

"I'm so sorry Nick, I didn't mean to hurt you." _Nice going dumby…_ she scolded herself mentally as she continued comforting the weeping fox. With the burdens that he had carried with him, Nick knew he must get this out or he'll crumble at the crushing weight that was on his shoulders.

They broke off the hug as Nick decided to speak up, "Judy, this place, this very pond, this patch of grass…." he gestured at the entire piece of land before them, "My mother brought me here every year during my birthday, without fail." He gave a small sigh as he tried to suppress the burst of emotions within him, "That is until I was twelve, when I left my family, I never came back to this place." He looked at Judy in the eye once more, and dropped his gaze back to the pond. "I'm back here today, tonight, for two reasons: one, it's my birthday today…" she was shocked, she had been so busy at work and so caught up with life she never knew when his birthday was, she never bothered asking or inquiring; now she felt very bad. Nick caught her guilty gaze and gave a mild grin in response, but the emotions that had deposited in him was overwhelming, tears threatened to fall again. "Two… I am not sure when the actual date is, but I thought that today, being my birthday and all, was a rather appropriate day to practise it…" he digressed, voice cracking as he pointed to the ground, "Today's my mother's death anniversary." He cried.

The area was quiet, only the sound of a weeping child resonated through the area. "Oh Nick…" Judy whispered, patting his back as she placed her paw on his, squeezing it gently. _Poor guy…_ she thought while bringing him back into a warm hug.

...

...

Judy felt the cool, hard ground beneath her head, she had, apparently, fallen asleep when they were in each other's embrace. She got up as soon as she noticed Nick was no longer anywhere near her, she could no longer sense the heat Nick gave off, along with the musk he carried which she has grown quite fond of. Looking around the dim surrounding, she took notice of a shadowy figure which was before the tree by the pond, its bushy tail and sharp ears was a clear giveaway that it was Nick who was seated beside the tree.

"Hey, you okay there?" she asked as she approached the vulpine whose gaze was fixated on the thick roots of the plant. He snapped out of his trance as he looked at Judy, a small smile on his muzzle. He then began to explain.

"I planted a seed next to these very waters several days after my mother's death. Look at it now." He pointed at the tall tree, it stood at a height almost twice as tall as Nick, its leaves were abundant and gave off an aromatic fresh scent, evidently it was a healthy tree. "How time flies, gone are the moments when I was lost, those times when I was blind to the truth, the truth that love still exists…" he locked his emerald hues on Judy's violet ones. "My mother was the only one who truly loved me, and I rejected her and left her, I thought I could never love again…" he stroked his paw affectionately across her cheek, joy filling the emptiness within him. "…then I met you." He planted a kiss on her right cheek, feeling grateful that this bunny made it into his life. "Thank you…" he ended with a genuinely sweet smile.

Judy kept kneeling on the grass while Nick got up and stretched, exhaustion finally setting in. He extended his paw as an offer to help Judy up, but she remained on the ground. _He just kissed me…_ the scene replayed repeatedly in her mind. Seeing that Judy was unresponsive to his act of kindness, Nick pick her up, bridal style, and carried her to the car. "Let's go, it's getting late." They drove off from the woods and back into the city.

"Nick, thank you for sharing," Judy spoke breaking the silence, "thanks for opening up, I learnt a great deal about your today. I wish I could have found out sooner though, so I could prepare a gift or two; happy birthday by the way!" Nick chuckled at the random comment.

"Thanks Carrots, but I don't need any gifts anymore, I already got my wish- you," he said with a grin, his night vision served him well as he could distinctively see the bunny blush. "Gotcha," he teased causing the rabbit to punch his arm, it was a weak hit as fatigue and sleepiness had made her sluggish. A yawn slipped out of Judy, Nick was about to make a quirky comment, but loud snores rang through the car. _That's loud for a mammal her size, sounds cute though…_ his tail started wagging at the thought of Judy, _life isn't so bad after all…_ he smiled widely and concentrated on the road, happiness bubbling in him. Worries, uncertainties, grievous thoughts, and painful memories are now behind them, dark times are over. Now, they see the light…


	5. Be Prepared

**#5 Be prepared - Lion King**

A short, catchy tune emitted from the lock system as the door behind him closed, the crimson red beam of light on the locking device switched to a bright green colour once the door slammed shut. He stepped into the house and pressed on several switches that were installed on the wall, a lamp soon went on and illuminated the dark room, a ceiling fan started to rotate over his head, cool wind now rushed through his soft, brown fur. This helped him to relax a little, but the pounding in his head stopped him from feeling any bit of comfort. Dropping his bag on a chair that stood beside his study table, Shell made his way to his room and collapsed on the springy bed; it had been a long, busy, tiring, and stressful day, the headache only made it worse. _Maybe a quick shower can help…_ he picked himself up from the bed, but the pain grew more unbearable and agonizing, he fell to the ground as the world around him started spinning. Shell's head hit the ground with a painfully loud crash, the ordeal then ceased as he blacked out.

After a long moment of silence, a fox emerged from Shell's room. _That'll keep him quiet for the time being…_ she thought as she searched his bag for his car keys and exited the house, leaving it unlocked and vulnerable. Using her sharp green eyes, she scanned the area for Shell's car, her grey-red fur kept her from being seen in the dark while her night vision allowed her to see clearly in the dim setting, all was going as planned. Once she identified her target, she got into the car and sped off, making sure that she made minimal noise to avoid waking the neighbours.

The drive lasted for about ten minutes, the streets were empty of any signs of life, with the exception of one or two vehicles. She stopped in front of an abandoned warehouse, or so it seemed, and brought her phone out from her pocket. Pressing on the flat screen, she dialled a number and waited patiently. Hoping off the car, with her phone still against her ears, she examined the building before her; the walls looked as though termites have tunnelled through them, it was so rotten and decayed that it may fall all over at a simple nudge. The phone finally got through as the vixen brought her attention back to device in her paw, she pressed a button on the screen and the call ended as the door creaked open. The smell of moss filled the fox's senses as she cautiously stepped into the warehouse, the aroma was surprisingly pleasant and fresh, the door then closed as her entire being entered the building.

The place was dark, even with her night vision, but she could make up the scene in the warehouse; a round table was placed in the centre of the room with nine chairs surrounding it, eight were occupied and one was left empty, _that would be my seat…_ she thought as she dragged the chair out from beneath the table and sat on it.

"Shall we begin?" she said as a lightbulb hanging above the room sparked to life, with the light finally brightening the room, the vixen could see the mammals clearly; eight canines were seated around the table, three females and two males. They gave her a suspicious look as they tried to adjust themselves to a comfortable position on the small chairs. "I believe you know why we're gathered here." The canines nodded simultaneously in agreement. The fox then grabbed a piece of paper from her left pocket and read the notes scribbled on it, "opening statement, intro, backstories…" she whispered before crumpling the paper and tossing it on the damp floor, "forget all that, let's get straight to the point. Society has taken everything we have, it has stripped us from all hope!" she stood up and slammed her paws on the table, it shook a little but soon stabilised. "It's time to get equal." The mammals cheered and clapped at her short but powerful speech. "Society may have taken away our families with brute force and sadistic actions, quite honestly that's why we could make it here today; we have no one else to hang out with, no one else to spend the day with, we're just left alone in this cruel world…" chuckling came from the crowd, but it was in a sad manner. "But here we are, are we not family? We share a common forefather, _Canidae_ was his name, and from him all the tribes branched out and populated the world." The depressing atmosphere became lighter as smiles appeared on the canine's faces. "The name's Vexen, do call me Vex. I'm from the lineage of _Urocyon,_ one of the oldest tribes amongst the foxes," Vex said in pride and confidence.

A coyote that sat to the left of Vex spoke after she had finished, "McCoy, from the tribe of _Canis.._." his dark brown fur that ran along his back contrasted the pale beige fur on his belly, his hazel eyes reflected the light from the bulb as he gestured to a wolf sitting across the table. "…and I see I'm not the only one here." A sly grin hung on his face.

"We _Canis_ are never alone," a smirk now on the wolf's muzzle, "Wolfgang at your service." The canine gave a little bow at the other animals, his appearance was of a typical wolf covered in a mix of white and black fur that spread throughout his entire body. His right ear was flattened as it supported a monocle which extended to his right eye, the device was a piece of rather advanced technology which allowed him to do many things that a generic computer could do in a blink of an eye, literally. "And what's your name milady?" he asked politely with a flirtatious gaze, causing the raccoon dog next to him to giggle.

"Oh that's so sweet of you, call me Ninja." the other canines burst out in laughter at the hilarious name she presented, McCoy even fell off his chair during his laughing fit, but he quickly got back up after noticing that the floor was covered with a disgusting layer of algae. "I knew this was coming, just call me Jaja, I'm from the lineage of _Nyctereutes_ , from where I come from we're trained to be as deadly as ninjas, so don't you dare mess with me!" she warned the others while pointing a finger at them, the laughter soon died out. "Relax guys, I'm not gonna do any killing, you guys are," she panned her paw towards everyone else, she was more spy material than assassin, plus she didn't like getting any dirt on her paws. "And I see we have two more ladies; thought I would be the only one with Vex here." She passed the baton to the remaining two females.

"HI GUYS! Lynny here, we're gonna be soooo great together, it's gonna be soooo much fun!" she exclaimed in glee, she had brown fur all over her body with many random patches of black fur, her big round ears twitched a little at the sound of a water droplet falling unto the wooden floor. "I'm a _Lycaon_ member, _Lycaon pictus_ to be precise. I'm an African wild dog and I can already see us having fun in a bar already, how about a pint to celebrate?" her high-pitched squeals echoed through the empty room.

"Maybe next time," a red fox replied, her eyes had a red glow to it which made her look vicious and savage, however her tone and posture said otherwise, she even had a complementary red flower placed on her ear. "I'm Vixy, or Vivi if you like it, I'm directly from _Vulpes_ ," she said with her muzzle up high.

"A true fox indeed," a voice caught everyone's attention as they turned to a certain canine seated adjacent to McCoy, he was coated with dark, umbrous pelage which matched his black irises. "Genealogically, I'm from the one and only _Atelocynus_ , native to the rainforest areas, took me an hour just to get here…" the short-eared dog's deep voice earned him a soft purr from Lyn, though he didn't catch it. "Call my Ore."

"Got yourself a gal?" Lyn interrupted, "if not, you got one now," her muzzle was now against her paw as she stared deeply into his black hues, he avoided her gaze all together, lest he gets entranced in it.

"Moving on," Vex cut her off before she had a chance to flirt, "Conner, Chris, make it quick, we're losing Lyn here, let's get this discussion over with as soon as possible." The fox grinned at the dog who scowled at her remark, she then crossed her arms and glanced at the dhole and the maned wolf.

"Chris, a son of _Chrysocyon_ ," the maned wolf muttered, his golden fur shined brightly against the light, his naturally longer limbs made him significantly taller than the rest, giving him the rights to pick on the shorter ones. "Our kind is called the maned wolves, but we are neither fox nor wolf, we're just that special." He had a smug look on his face, "I flatter myself too much sometimes." The canines scoffed at his spontaneous comments.

"Conner, from _Cuon_ ," the dhole said, he on the other hand was fully covered in a dark orange coat, his look resembled a red fox's, but he didn't have a lighter coloured belly. "Let's start then." He brought his paws together and placed it on the flat surface of the table, eager to get the discussion going. Tapping on the marble plane, he waited for Vex to clear her throat and officially begin their meeting.

"Now that we are totally comfortable with each other, here's the plan..." she dropped a folder on the table as the canines pulled their seats nearer to take a closer look. Jaja opened the folder and took the contents out, the stack of files that were once in the folder now laid scattered across the surface, they each reached for one and placed it in front of them before turning back to the grey fox. "Of course, quid pro quo you are expected; we'll settle your scores, then we'll settle mine, deal?"

"Deal," they said in one accord, shaking each other's paws as a sign of the covenant. They got up from their seats and stood straight and tall, evil grins now hanging over their muzzles. "Be prepared Zootopia…" Vex then stretched her paws out and gestured to the canines, "I present thee, the K-Niners."


	6. Hakuna Matata

**#6 Hakuna Matata - Lion King**

Music blasted from the speakers in a deafening boom, Judy's sensitive ears started to hurt from the prolonged exposure to the overly high decibels. Following the cacophony to its source, her suspicions were confirmed: Nick. She knocked on the door and waited, holding in the urge to kick the door down and strangle the fox, the noise had been left unattended to for a quarter of an hour, it was about time someone stepped in and bring it to an end.

"NICK!" she shouted from outside, the overpowering sound drowning her voice completely. Judging by the volume of the music, Nick wouldn't have heard her even if the music wasn't playing; his eardrums would have been damaged beyond repair, leaving him deaf or at least hard of hearing. Her gentle knocks soon turned to violent banging, the hinges on the door got looser after every consecutive hit. He still failed to react. Annoyed, she decided to barge into the room, but seeing that it was lock she ended up calling his cell phone, hopefully he would be smart enough to pick it up or he'll spend the rest of the afternoon picking up pieces of his shattered glass door.

After minutes of buzzing, Nick finally answered the call, he lowered the volume of the speakers so he could hear Judy through the phone. "Heyya, what's up?"

"What's up?! Come to the door before I smash down!" she said, anger brewing within her as she let out a low growl, Nick flinched a little at her unexpected act of aggression, he was still rather oblivious to his wrongdoings. He made his way to the door and twisted the knob, a steaming rabbit stood before him tapping her feet rapidly against the floor, a frown was plastered on her face as she moved her paws from her hips across her chest. "Mind explaining the beautiful melody?" she deadpanned.

"Oh that? That was rock from the 90s I th-"

"WHAT IN THE WORLD NICK YOUR DRIVING ME NUTS THIS IS THE ZPD CAN YOU PLEASE ACT MORE PROFESSIONALLY!?" she exploded from the rage built up in her, her tiny paws gesticulated randomly and wildly as she jumped up and down furiously. She was about to lunge at the smug looking vulpine when a honey badger came to the door.

"Excuse officer Hopps, I-"

"GROW UP NICK! YOU CAN'T JUST PLAY MUSIC AS AND WHEN YOU WANT-"

"Erm, officer Hopps I-"

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE THIS ISN'T YOUR HOME WH-"

"OFFICER HOPPS!" the badger screamed and finally got the rabbits attention. She snapped at him and shot him a glare.

"WHAT?!" she yelled, but soon noticed her mistake and quickly apologised, "sorry, got worked up because of this big dumby here." She gave the fox a death glare that pierced straight into his soul, of course he was barely swayed by her intimidating stare. "So what's you got officer Ratel?"

The honey badger shook his head, a hint of frustration could be seen as he furrowed his eye brows, but he was quick to pardon the doe. "Bogo wants you now, both of you," he said pointing at the mammals, they took a quick glance at each other and nodded in unison. The fox and the bunny left the room soon after the badger did, letting quietness and peace finally set in.

…

…

 _*Knock* *Knock*_

"Enter," the voice void of any emotion echoed through the empty halls, Nick and Judy got into the chief's room upon his permission. As usual Bogo sat on his large chair at his desk, two files were placed on his desk, one of which had a picture of a beaver clipped on it while the other had a picture of a pig attached to the front cover of the file. "Take a seat," Bogo instructed the officers as they walked towards their seats, they soon halted as they stared curiously at a certain mammal who sat on one of the chairs directly across Bogo's; it had brown fur covering its entire body, a flat tail dangling freely which hovered over the legs of the chair, and a long bill that extended from the lower part of its face. Its webbed feet alone would have provided the officers more than enough information to conclude that the mammal that was seated in the chair was indeed a platypus, a male one to be exact. The duo quickly took their chairs after a short analysis of the platypus, _tuxedo, bow tie, fedora. Looking good…_ Nick jotted down as he leaned into his seat.

"You called for us chief?" Judy started as Bogo shifted on his chair and reached for the files that were scattered on the surface of his desk.

"Two bodies were found this morning, one of a pig's and another of a beaver's." He tossed the files towards the officers as he said so, the pictures clipped to the files displayed the victim's appearance; a brown furred beaver and a pink furred swine. "Both bodies were located in the Golden Palm Hotel at 9:37; get right to it." He pointed at the vulpine and the doe with his hooves, then brought it back across his massive chest, his gaze soon found its way to the chocolate coloured semiaquatic mammal. "This kind agent here would assist you in your investigation, you're gonna need all the help you can get." He brought his attention to the platypus, who sat up straight and tall as he nodded at Bogo. He turned to face Nick and Judy, with a welcoming smile on his face and extended webbed paws.

"Agent P, but you can call me Perry." They shook each other's paws while the pair introduced themselves, they quickly returned to their seats to proceed with the briefing.

"I expect results by the end of this week, the people responsible for the death of these mammals should be behind bars by the time I enter on Monday morning, do I make myself clear?" Bogo raised his voice up a notch, it was loud enough for him to emphasise his point without scaring or instilling fear in the animals that stood before him.

"Yes sir," they said simultaneously with a tone that carried enthusiasm and excitement; it was the couple's first case together as a team. After gathering the files and saluting the chief, the trio left the room and headed out of the ZPD, eager to begin the investigation.

"So, where we headed?" Nick asked the platypus, who has taken his place on the wheel of the police cruiser, in a polite manner. The platypus hesitated a little, but he eventually spoke up.

"I…I kinda left some of the files at home, would it be fine if we drop by my house first? We could have a light snack before we begin," he replied sheepishly, feeling a little embarrassed at his forgetfulness. Chuckles came from the other mammals, this lightened up the mood a little as relief started to take hold of the platypus.

"Sure, let's go!" Judy exclaimed in glee as they dashed off away from the building.

…

…

The door creaked open as Perry slowly pushed it open to reveal his home. They were soon greeted by a cute little baby platypus who ran towards Perry and leaped into his embrace, at the sight of fox and the rabbit he burrowed himself into his father's fur, concealing his face in Perry's bosom. Judy immediately made her way to the baby and gently brushed her paw through its fur as she squealed at how adorable it looked, Nick just stood aside and smiled casually, taking peeks at the little platypus, the child looked exactly like its father; caramel fur and a very dark brown, almost black, bill.

"Here, hold him for a moment would ya? I'll go get the files and some snacks and we'll be off." Perry handed the shy child to Judy who carefully enveloped it with her arms, his fur felt soft and warm when it came into contact with her grey ones. "Thanks. Honey, could ya pack us some snacks?" the platypus called into the kitchen as yet another platypus emerged from it, she had an apron strapped around her and a bag in her paw.

"Here ya go hun." she passed the bag to her male counterpart as he hurriedly climbed up a fleet of stairs to his study. She then turned to the couple who was occupied with playing with her baby, the fox was currently making funny faces trying to amuse the child, a short burst of high pitched giggles proved that it was working. The infant squirmed its eyes as it let out a big yawn, the mother was quick to notice this and took it as a sign that it was time for his nap. "Come here hunny, its nappy time!" the child, upon hearing his mother's request, leaped off from Judy's arms and wobbled towards his mother, stumbling a little as he was still unaccustomed to walking with its webbed feet. "Make yourselves at home sweeties, Perry may take a while, his study's in a huge mess," the platypus said while shaking her head in disapproval before disappearing into a room with her baby.

Taking a look around the house, they were impressed by its rather child-friendly design; the fabric carpet beneath their feet looked and felt like damp soil, giving the room a natural feel. The walls were painted with a light blue colour with several patches of white as a representation of the clouds in the sky, toy planes hung from the ceiling and dangled freely over their heads, the strings that held the toys were so thin it seemed like the planes were suspended in mid-air. "Take notes Carrots," Nick grinned widely, "it'll help when we design the baby's room." His smirk held on as Judy blushed deeply. _Crackers, his at it again…_

"Well aren't you a confident one, play your cards right and it might just happen." Now it was her turn to grin at the blushing fox, but it was well concealed under his thick orange fur.

"Don't tempt me now, or I'll be playing with more than just cards tonight." He posed a seductive grin which flashed his fangs and let out a low growl, sending shivers down the rabbit's spine.

"Dumb fox."

"Sly bunny."

"Such lovebirds." The duo snapped out from their playful act as they turned to the voice with red hot cheeks, the platypus slowly hoped off the flight of stairs as they cleared their throat to ease the tension. "But please, not in front of the kids." He deadpanned and scanned the room to make sure the child was out of their sight. "Are you guys official? If so I can recommend a few marriage locations, I kno-"

"NO no we're not..." Judy rapidly responded with her paws in the air, her heart still beating fast and her face was still flushed, Nick, however, has managed to calm himself down to a point where it seemed like nothing happened at all, how he does that is a mystery Judy could never solve. "We're just very close friends, nothing more," she muttered defensively. _Lies…_ Nick thought, sending a lazy gaze at the fully embarrassed bunny, if he needed to he would describe her as a ripe tomato at the moment, even her grey fur had turned a mild shade of crimson red.

"Right…" Perry murmured in disbelief, they obviously had a thing for each other, the bunny was very distressed at the idea that others saw them as a couple, but the fox looked as though he couldn't care less. "Let's get to work before you two get too carried away," he said smirking at the two mammals, Judy was sweating from the stressful situation they put themselves in while Nick carried a neutral and emotionless look. Deep down, his emotions were raging violently and continuously, but his façade had kept him looking calm and collected, hopefully this mask would hold on until the case is solved, or at least until they got back home.

"Alright, to the Oasis," Nick said as he started the car, hit the coordinates into a screen located just beside the dashboard, and took off for the crime scene. The journey was a silent one as tension filled the atmosphere as a fog does in cool, humid mornings. The platypus, who took the shotgun seat, stared out into the distance from his window as the whole world went by. He was quick to notice, from the mirror that hung over his head, that the bunny seated behind him was taking occasional peeks at the fox who in turn had his eyes glued to the road ahead, he was now a hundred percent confident that he was, most definitely, the third wheel in the party, and that thought made him feel uneasy.

…

…

Ten minutes into the driving, they successfully got themselves stuck in the middle of a congested road, loud honks from furious drivers blared out from various cars as yelling and cursing could be heard. "What a bunch of impatient, primitive, uncivilised dorks," Nick commented, the angry yelling and disruptive honking started to get on his nerves, anger brew within him as he tapped his fingers on the wheel.

"Speak for yourself," Perry retorted earning a glare from the fox. With a large goofy grin, he reached under his seat and searched his belongings, "Anyone wants snacks?" he said while holding a brown bag in his right webbed paws, the same bag his mate has prepared for him. Opening the packet, he reached into it and grabbed a blue beetle out, he took a look at it and tossed it into his bill. "Crunchy," he concluded. Nick's unpleasant mood cleared almost immediately at the sight of food, he got himself a handful of bugs and placed them one by one into his muzzle before snapping it shut, an audible and satisfying crunch resonated through the car, making Judy shiver in disgust.

"C'mon Carrots, it's delicious," Nick urged her but she immediately refused, instinctively she placed her paws over her lips and covered her small muzzle, she felt sick to the stomach just watching the males indulge in the insects that she almost threw up on her seat.

"Yeah, c'mon just one won't hurt now would it?" Perry pushed on in hopes of opening Judy's eyes to the taste all carnivores crave. "Slimy and satisfying," he slurped a strand of meat, most likely a worm, and licked his paws. At this point her stomach was about to give in and pour out its contents, an ugly scene that no mammal should ever see.

"I'll pass," she said, but that wouldn't stop them from taunting her, so she quickly changed the subject before things could get out of hand. "So, how old's your boy now?"

"Who? Oh, little Timmy?"

"That his name?" Nick asked as the cars started to move along the road in moderate speed.

"Yeah, he's only a year old, enjoying life like nothing else matters; no rules, no responsibilities, just fun and games." He let out a sigh thinking of the taxes and debt he has yet to pay, the responsibilities he had on his shoulders, as an agent, a husband, a father… "Hope he doesn't grow too fast though." A sweet smile grew over his bill thinking about all the fun time he had with his boy, memories flash by as the car carried on in its journey, joy and pride filled his heart as he let out a soft giggle. Tranquillity settled in as the congestion cleared, the ride proceeded smoothly in silence, each mammal now deep in their own thoughts.


	7. Friends on the Other Side

**#7 Friends on the Other Side - Princess and the Frog**

"Castor, male beaver, in his mid-40s, father of four, no criminal records whatsoever; Seuss, male boar, late-30s, divorced his wife two years ago, no children, no records," Judy read from the file in a monotone as they neared their destination: Golden Palm Hotel, "both mammals are plumbers that working for the hotel, I wonder how much they get paid…" she could only imagine the heaps of cash that the mammals possess, working for such a big and grand organisation surely comes with huge pay checks, definitely bigger than what the officers were receiving at the moment.

"Not much actually," Perry responded, "they get paid only when their services are needed, and seeing that a ton of cash has gone to development of this building to ensure it is in tip-top shape, there aren't many reasons to call for a plumber. Maybe an occasional leaking pipe, but that's about it," he concluded with confidence in his speech. Judy marvelled at his thorough analysis and explanation, wishing that she too could pick up on these things as quickly as he could.

"And we're here." The car came to a halt as the investigators got off the car and stood before the hotel. The humongous palm like structure was placed dead centre of Sahara Square; its gold-plated body gleamed and glowed as it reflected the sun's rays, the green leaf like structures that protruded from the building made it seem sophisticated and abstract, quite a sight to behold. On a regular day countless mammals could be seen entering and exiting the doors of the hotel, the building seemed to beam with life from the busy residents it contains, however today it seemed dead and lifeless; many have left, feeling rather disturbed, upon learning about the death that has taken place just a few hours ago.

"Shall we?" Perry said before the trio pushed through the revolving door and entered the building. A lioness greeted the party as they stepped into the compound, her fur had a colour of, well, lion: a light shade of brown, almost an ochre yellow. Her chocolate orbs darted the three mammals as she begins to speak.

"Good afternoon, how may I help you?" she asked politely with a warm smile, her free arms swung behind her as she took on a confident posture.

"ZPD, we're here to investigate the events that took place a few hours ago," Nick flashed his badge with honour and pride, but soon slipped it back into his pocket as the lioness excused herself and got behind a counter directly in front of the door. With a phone in her paw she pushed a series of buttons down and waited.

"The officers are here sir," she said into the phone, "ok, understood." She gently placed the phone back where it belonged and turned her attention back to the officers; the bunny and the platypus were examining the brochures that were stacked neatly on the counter while the fox was preoccupied with the bobble head toy that was displayed. _Mature much…_ she thought as she called for the mammals and escorted them into a lift. Hitting the button labelled "3", the elevator doors closed and slowly went up the vertical column. "The bodies were found in room 231, some police are already there and they have already cleared the area and brought the bodies away," the lioness informed as the moving elevator stopped and opened its doors.

"Thank you," Judy muttered before they stepped out and left for the room.

…

…

"From what we found, the pig collapsed here and knocked his head against the table, there's even a slight crack across the glass surface." A giraffe dressed in full uniform reported to the officers while pointing at a broken glass table, Judy got her carrot pen and started scribbling notes on an empty piece of paper.

"C.o.d?" Nick asked with a brow raised, such a weak blow to the head couldn't have killed the thick-skulled boar, or so Nick thought.

"We're still unsure. See what you could find, I'll head back and report to Bogo." He soon left the room to the trio's paws and stepped out. After putting on their tight rubber gloves and grabbing the necessary equipment, they started searching the room for evidence; blood stains, fur, scratch marks, anything that could bring a breakthrough to the case.

"No tools anywhere," Judy said after skimming through the area, she then headed to the toilet and pushed open the door; the pipes were in good, if not, perfect condition, no signs of a leakage was present. Taking a closer look at the sink that was installed at the corner of the bathroom, she noticed a pair of toothbrushes that were lying beside the knob, one looked new and the other appeared to be extensively used. "They're not here for work, they planned to stay the night."

Searching the floor with keen eyes and an ultra-violent emitting torchlight in his paw, Nick scanned the room for any strands of fur, this proved to be a difficult task as the carpet's texture was so similar to fur, _probably cotton…_ he thought judging by how fluffy it was. After a good hour of searching, and finding nothing at all, Nick let out a long sigh and collapsed unto the big couch.

"NICK!" he shot up from the seat as Judy shouted from across the room. "Don't contaminate the crime scene you dumb fox!" Her tone of voice was sharp and stern, each word was clear and distinct, that way Nick could not make excuses saying that he was unable to hear her instructions.

"Sorry Carrots, I'm just so beat." He slouched lazily and paced across the empty room, taking one last glance at the carpeted floor and at the orange walls, making sure he looked at every corner of the room. Feeling exhausted and frustrated at the lack of progress, he let out a long sigh. "It could have been, a Suesscide." He burst out laughing while the rabbit glared at him and shook her head in disbelief.

"Too soon Nick, too soon… get back to work." Her authoritative tone evident in her speech, as she said so her phone started vibrating in her pocket, she quickly picked it up after removing her gloves. "CSI Judy Hopps here… yes… ok… got it." She pressed on a big red button on her smartphone and slipped it back into her vacant pocket.

"Found anything?" Perry asked after failing to find anything that can contribute to the case.

"Autopsy reports just came in; their kidneys seemed to be damaged and their RBC count is unnaturally low, haemoglobin was present in their urine. They also sent this over…" Judy reached for her phone once more, unlocked it, and showed it to the other two males, a picture of the blood sample of both victims were juxtaposed with a sample of normal blood.

"Haemolysis?" Perry noted after taking a look at the photos Judy presented. "Damaged kidneys, haemoglobin in urine, ruptured bed blood cells…"

"So…no Suesscide?" Nick asked earning a scowl from the rabbit officer, he simply shrugged his shoulders and flashed a sloppy grin as he tucked his paws into the side pockets of his pants. Suddenly, Perry hastily tossed his phone at the vulpine who barely manages to catch it.

"No time for jokes fox, call the hotel manager and tell him to get his staff to look out for any mammals displaying any symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, vomiting, or abdominal pain, if anyone is seen with these symptoms get them to a hospital right away. Oh, and those having numbness and weakness of limbs should also get themselves checked up," Perry instructed in a clear and serious tone, "I don't want another body," he added flatly with a grim tone. Nick quickly left the area and dialled for the hotel manager, he relayed Perry's message verbatim in great clarity and precision.

"What's going on?" Judy asked, feeling a little surprised and taken aback by his orders that seemed to have come out from nowhere.

"Our victims were poisoned Judy."

"By?" she was still clueless and lost.

"The plumbers and their plumbum," he concluded, "they were here for work after all." He took one more glance at the vacant room before stepping out, leaving Judy bewildered and perplexed.

…

…

"Sir, about the plumbers that were in room 231, which part of the hotel were they working on just before they died this morning?" Perry inquired from the chairman off the hotel. The camel was dressed in a tuxedo with a bowtie around his neck, he looked like goliath standing beside the teensy little platypus despite him slouching to such a great degree.

"The plumber ay? Yeah they were fixing up a pipe that burst in the kitchen just yesterday, the entire floor could have been flooded if it weren't for those chaps; water was bursting out like a geyser I swear I've neve-"

"Could you kindly cease all usage of water from that pipe? At least for the time being until we get to the root of the problem."

"So you're saying we let the people starve?"

"No sir, just avoid using water from that line of pipes; we suspect the water coming from those pipes are poisoned." Perry insisted hoping that he would be cooperative.

"That pipe is one of our main channels, if we shut it down everyone will be forced to leave." The elderly camel slammed a hoof on his desk, then brought it back to adjust his monocle. "No can't do son."

"Look, sir, your customers may be ingesting poisoned water as we speak." The platypus stared straight into the other mammal's black hues, trying to sound solemn as possible. The camel was shocked at the news as he shot up from his seat, bringing his hoof to his chin he thought for a moment in silence.

"Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. As dead as those two plumbers." The camel gave a dour and sullen stare at the small semiaquatic mammal that stood before him, then burst out in a series of laughing fits.

"HAHA, good one. Okay then, since you put it that way…" he picked up the phone on his desk and called for his secretary, a raccoon soon entered the room and gave a gentle bow. "Disable water system 4, not a single drop of water that came from those pipes are allowed to be used, understood? Alright, get to it." The raccoon gave yet another bow before rushing off to see to her duties. The camel turned back to the officer and gave a pat on his shoulder, "get to the bottom of this nonsense, I've had enough of this rubbish." The platypus gave a weak smile and left the old camel to himself. _Well that went surprisingly well, then again lives are at stake…_ he thought to himself as he entered the elevator and went all the way down to the lobby to join back with the other officers, who were currently resting in the hotel lounge.

"There hasn't been any plumbers here ever since two years ago, this means, essentially, the plumbers killed themselves?" Judy asked getting really confused, Nick simply raised a brow and continued fiddling with his phone. "I don't get it, how is it that no one died except for those two?" She sank into her seat and let out a slight yawn, exhaustion finally setting causing her mind grow blunt and dull. She straightened herself as a certain platypus entered the large room where they took refuge.

"I got the pipes that the plumbers installed, we're gonna have to send this and our other bags of evidence back for analysis." A transparent bag hung from his extended paws, inside it contained several pipes with a shiny and reflective silver coat. Nick grabbed the bag from the platypus as the trio left for the ZPD, the hotel soon returned to its bustling state.

…

…

A wolf stood in the centre of the room flipping through endless piles of papers, feeling rather lonely at the moment due to the lack of company he had, then came a bunny hopping through the door. _Right on cue…_

"Got the results, your pipes tested positive for lead," Shell handed a tablet to the bunny officer as she started swiping the screen to review the report, "it was coated with a thin layer of lead, almost seems like lead galvanising, if that even exists…" he noticed that his words have fallen to deaf ears as Judy was currently engrossed in the reports that just came in, he grew silent and turned his attention back to his work. A few minutes went by before Judy finally finished analysing the document.

"Oh, sorry was busy reading the… anyway thanks Shell, dinner?" Judy asked after snapping back from her momentary trance.

"Sure," Shell's mood brightened up at her kind offer, "same place?"

"Guess so," she then marched out of the laboratory as Shell dived back into his heaps of paperwork.

At the entrance of the building, Judy was reunited with her partners as they prepared to set off for their second road trip this afternoon. "Where to this time?" the platypus, who volunteered to do the driving, asked as he slot the key into the keyhole.

"Tundratown, got the address to the company that manufactured and distributed the pipes. Here, I'll type it in…" Judy reached for the screen beside the dashboard and carefully inserted the full address into the GPS, she read it out aloud several times to ensure she did not make any mistakes. Once the GPS was done processing the information, they sped off for Tundratown.

Nick, who sat at the back seat of the cruiser, took a glance at the GPS to find out where they were headed. Chills went down his spine as he read the words 'Pipestry' that was displayed on the top right corner of the screen. "Perry, Judy, is it okay if erm… if…" Nick muttered as Judy twisted her head a full 180 degrees, almost as an owl does, so that her violet eyes met his darting emerald hues.

"What is it Wilde? Spill it." She demanded as Nick shrank back into the cushion seats of the car.

"Would it be fine if you and Perry go investigate the area while I… err how do I put this? Attend to other matters?" Nick asked with his ears pinned against his skull and paws raised, a toothy smile plastered over his muzzle as he tried to persuade the bunny.

"Oh? Other matters? I don't remember seeing 'other matters' on the list of things we were assigned to." She pointed an accusing finger as she retorted; Nick had a tendency to drift off whenever they were given a task, he would either get himself into more trouble or goof off and run away from his responsibilities, both of which would result in him getting a long and hearty talk with his beloved Bogo. "Not a chance."

"But..."

"No." Her decision was final, but Nick wasn't ready to give in. He sat in silence for a long moment in his scattered thoughts, he tried to piece the puzzle together, but he failed to make sense of anything.

"Why only two of them died? I don't get it, shouldn't all that ingested the water face the same fate as those two?" Nick asked as his curiosity burned more intensely.

"They probably would if exposure to the unclean water persisted," Perry replied, he had already thought about it and has formed a theory of his own, hopefully that will be sufficient satisfy Nick's curiosity. "I checked with the hotel and the plumbers called for room service right after the channel was up and running; fish and chips and a warm cup of lemon tea each. They were, therefore, exposed to water with the highest concentration of lead in it, seeing that the pipe was just installed the rate of lead seeping into the water source was at its peak, high enough that the amount of lead that ended up in their systems were potent enough to kill them. Fortunately, no one else ordered anything from the kitchen that night, so the water slowly diluted until it wasn't strong enough to knock out any other mammal," Perry concluded as a soft "oh" slipped out from Nick's muzzle.

"So we're not dealing with a murder or anything? Just a horrible mishap?" Judy spoke as her gaze shifted to the platypus on the wheel.

"Apparently so. However, it is against the law to have lead in pipes carrying water so we still can shut the company down and stop this madness," Perry said positively, that was the least they could do to help prevent further loss of innocent lives.

"Ok!" Judy said enthusiastically, _the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can go home…_ she closed her sore eyes and dozed off as the car ride continued in silence.

…

…

"Please, I need to see him, this is urgent…" the two polar bears exchanged looks of uncertainty and doubt as they retrieved their walkie-talkie from the utility belt which hung over their waist.

"The boss in? A visitor wants to meet with him, he says it's urgent," the polar bear spoke into the device with a hint of unease in his tone, Nick caught on with this as he let out a sigh of disbelief, _all these years I've worked with them and they still don't trust me? Unbelievable.._. the gate that acted as a barrier separating the mansion from the rest of the land soon opened as the vulpine stepped into the tiled room.

"Hiya Mr. Big I need to ask you something from you, could I get some info on-"

"Don't you disrespect young man!" the shrew shouted as his voice echoed through the entire room. "You come barging into my house and asks me for favours, this being the third time this month and I highly doubt it will end here, WHAT AM I YOUR SLAVE!?" he stood up from his golden chair and swung his short arms aggressively at the fox who stood there in silence and submission.

"Mr Big, please, it has something to do with Pipestry." Mr Big's outrage stopped instantly at Nick's statement, his eyes now locked unto the fox's as he calmed down and reclaimed his seat on the small, fancy chair.

"Pipestry you say?" the shrew raised his paws to signal a polar bear who stood to his right, immediately the burly arctic mammal pulled out a chair and presented it to the fox, who in turn snatched it from his paws and placed it gently on a carpet just before Mr Big's table. Being fully aware that beneath his feet was a pool of unforgiving, torturous, and freezing ooze, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves before he continued.

"Yes, the same company that tried to mess with your water channels," Nick responded while trying to read the smaller mammal's mind, but his poker face revealed nothing about his thoughts. "They did it again, this time on Golden Palm Hotel, they-"

"This does not concern me." Mr Big interrupted. Resting his head on his paw he crossed his legs and sank into the chair.

"Mr Big, people can potentially die from what they're doi-"

"They only kill their targets; no one else will be dying." He reassured Nick in a certain and firm tone of speech, "I was once their target, and now I presume the chairman of the hotel is their current one." Nick nodded in response and dropped his gaze to the floor, the shrew however kept his stern glare at the fox, observing his every move.

After hesitating for a moment, he worked up the courage and finally spoke up, "I'm sorry sir, but I really need to know what they're up to, if you know something please tell me." He sounded desperate as he voiced out his plea, but Mr Big just leaned forward and made a pinching action in mid-air.

"I'll be needing some green," a grin spanned over his muzzle as he moved his paws back to the arm rest, "I am a business mammal, so no money, no talk." He crossed his arms and leaned back unto the soft cushion. "I've been pushed around all my life, and now I draw the line," using his fingers, he drew an imaginary line across the space in front of him to emphasise his point, "I don't want to waste much time Nicky, off with you, I've said enough." He made a brushing gesture at Nick and turned around, the polar bear picked him up and brought him up a flight of stairs, soon Nick was left all alone in the cold, empty room.

…

…

"And where on Earth have you been?!" the steaming bunny tapped her foot rapidly on the floor, loud thuds rang through the room breaking the silence.

"Oh Carrots, your hom-"

"And your dead, Wilde." Her death glare fixed on the guilty fox who flinched at her threatening words.

"Gee, relax, I got back and clocked out after-"

"Nicholas Piberius Wilde!" _uh oh, full name…_ he thought as his ears pinned back in anticipation of the massive scolding he was about to receive, he decided against making a witty comment which would just add fuel to the flame, _brace for impact…_ She drew a deep breath and held it for a moment, then slowly exhaled through her nostrils, Nick was quick to identify this as one of the techniques Judy used to calm herself down, she did this repeatedly about a dozen more times before she finally sat down on the floor next to Nick. "This better be worth it, we were supposed to have dinner with Shell but that got cancelled after your disappearing act. So, what did you learn from Mr Big?"

"Well I went- wait you know?"

"I'm not a dumb bunny, where else could how have gone?" She had a point, Nick wasn't one who liked to go out in other ecosystems unless he really needed to, he usually limited himself to the comforts of the warmer habitats such as Sahara Square or Rainforest District.

"Well…" he thought for a moment, but decided that adding anything now would just throw them off focus, so he brushed his suspicions on the company aside and deemed it as him overthinking the case. "Nothing much, just that they tried to do the same to Mr Big once and that didn't end well, for the company that is." He said hoping that Judy would end her questions there.

"That's all?"

"That's about it." Relief flooded his system as the bunny ceased pressing on for further details. "Got you a salad, it's in the kitchen; carrots and worms, just like you like it." A smirk spanned over his muzzle as Judy winced in disgust. "I'll go take a shower now, any plans for the evening?"

"I'm tired, let's just rest, ok maybe a round of cards, it's been awhile since we had fun." Judy said as she let out a sigh of exhaustion, a massive grin grew on Nick as his lazy gaze turned to the bunny.

"Oh, you wanna have fun huh, boy you're gonna enjoy yourself tonight." Her cheeks grew hot as she rushed to the kitchen in an attempt to escape the tense atmosphere. "I'll leave the door unlocked just in case you wish to join me." He slipped into the toilet and began attending to his messy fur.

"If you keep this up people will get ideas, they'll think we're dating, they'll-"

"Oh but aren't we already?" Nick's voice came from the shower, "You may not have noticed, but I pretty much got you wrapped around my finger." There was no denying it, Judy did have a thing for Nick, but she assumed that that's just how close friends wold feel for each other.

"Whatever Nicky, just hurry up we haven't got all day." She dived into her delicious salad as sounds of rushing water resonated through the room, calming the emotional bunny and helping her regain a regular heartbeat, how this works and why it had this effect on her mental and physiological state was beyond her knowledge and understanding. A doused fox soon stepped out from the toilet, only a pair of boxers concealing his nakedness, and entered the kitchen to fetch himself a can of beer.

"I'll go get the cards, please don't cry when I beat you in everything," he said playfully with utmost confidence.

"We'll see about that," she replied zealously before wolfing down the rest of her vegetables and tossing the bowl into the sink, Nick picked it up, gave it a wash, and kept it back to where it belongs.

"The cards, the cards, the cards will tell." He grabbed a deck of cars from the counter and shuffled it with dexterity, making sure that the sequencing of the cards was totally random and unpredictable. With an impressed smirk Judy collected her clothes and made her way into the humid shower. She was glad that after a long days' worth of work she could unwind and have some fun, bubbling with excitement she twisted the knob and allowed the shower to rinse her grey fur, her worries washed away with the relaxing streams of water as she looked forward to the enjoyable evening ahead.


	8. Morning Report

**#8 Morning Report - Lion King**

The most despicable idea conjured by the mammalian mind, the most hated invention in world history, the most torturous and deafening cacophony: the alarm. Its progressively loud ringing pounded against the sensitive ear drums the vulpine possessed, successfully snapping the red fox out from his sweet dreams. _Bummer, just when the good part's about to start…_ he plunged his head back into the comfy pillow hoping to salvage some more sleep, but soon gave up hope of returning back to his blissful fantasy. He reached for the alarm and hit the snooze button, the alarm went silent as the room turned to its original state of peace.

Shuffling on the bed to assume a more comfortable position, Nick felt a warm breath rub against his tangerine fur. As he turned to the heat source, a fur ball that was leaning against his bare chest, a smile grew on Nick's muzzle, the bunny let out a soft sigh and nuzzled deeper into his thick undercoat. A grin quickly crept over his face as a series of cute snores sounded from the grey fluff, there she was, so peaceful, so happy, totally oblivious to the dreadful day ahead of them. Being as careful and as silent as possible, Nick slipped out from bed and headed to the kitchen to whip up some breakfast; his blueberry cravings seemingly started acting up.

Judy's nose twitched ever so slightly as the familiar musky aroma faded from the air. Her eyelids fluttered open to see that her cosy red blanket was no longer wrapped around her, this made her feel rather distressed, it was as though his constant heartbeat had been keeping her calm during her slumber. Taking a glance at the clock that hung on the wall, which read 7.13 a.m., she let out a lazy yawn and stretched. After five minutes of staring blankly at the floor, Judy finally, in compulsion, got on her feet and moved away from the bed.

Meanwhile, a certain fox was standing next to the fiery stoves dressed in pink spotted apron, with a hard flick of the wrist the pancake flipped itself and landed safely back on the pan, a great display of the vulpine's talents. "Show off…" a soft mutter came from beside Nick. With a proud smirk and a lazy gaze, he flipped the pancake two more times and faced the doe who was now leaning against the kitchen counter.

"And you can do better, Fluff?" he challenged. His confident façade held on as he leaned on a wall, "Y'know what, if you manage to flip just one pancake, tonight's dinner will be on me." Judy became fully awake as her competitive spirit went ablaze, a small spark from Nick's little game has ignited a strong flame within her, she was determined to win herself a free meal.

"Being all confident and cocky are we? We'll see about that…" she snickered and threw her paws towards the pan, her digits wrapped around the warm handle as she got herself into position. With her feet apart, a rather stable stance, she held the pan tightly with both paws, her mind worked in a fast pace to calculate the angle and force needed to successful flip the pancake. She was prepared to make the flip when Nick tapped her shoulders, causing her to flinch and lose focus.

"But if you fail, you'll be doing my paperwork for the case." Her confidence dropped along with her paws at the fox's statement. With her rational mind weighing the cost and risk of taking this bet, she stayed still for a moment before moving her paws to her hips.

"That's hardly fair at all!" Judy concluded, it has been awhile since Nick has joined the ZPD but he was still as lazy as ever, often times he would use petty bets, such as this one, to get other mammals to do his work. Judy knew this very well, a little too well as she, being her gullible self, has fallen for it countless times, resulting in her getting double the workload and Nick slacking even more than before. With all the willpower she could muster, she raised a paw at the fox. "Nope, I'm dropping out. You can't just dump all your work on me." Despite her saying this the urge to play along still lingered in her mind, _this case IS rather short, paperwork shouldn't be too much. Plus, dinner sounds tempting…_

"Alright Cottontail, how about this: you win and I'll treat you to dinner for the rest of the week." He offered, being cautious with his choice of words to prevent any backlashes that may result from loopholes that have gone unnoticed. "Deal?" he ended and resumed his confident smirk as he gave reassessed his counteroffer; it was already Friday so losing this bet would only cost him three meals, _it's worth a shot…_ Judy gave some thought on his proposition, but decided that she has to turn it down; if this goes on he might get too comfortable with running from his work, _Bogo will throw a fit if he hears about this…_

"Not a chance Flufftail, I-"

"Flufftail?" he gave an unbelieving look at the doe, her grin enlarged and her ears perked as she leaned back unto the counter.

"That's right, Flufftail, you heard me." She turned to the stoves and removed the pan from the heat. Tossing the warm pancakes on a new clean plate, she spoke in a firm tone, "No way I'm doing this." She then picked the plates up and placed it on the dining table.

"Hmm, never heard that one before, Flufftail…" he stared at the ceiling for a good five minutes before turning back to Judy, he didn't really care that she has just turned down his undeniably brilliant offer, but what did hinder his thoughts was her sudden, but not unexpected, playful teasing. "Guess my tail is just too irresistible, am I right?" a seductive grin found its way onto his muzzle.

"That's right Slick, and if I find that you're not doing your job right that tail will be sleeping on the couch for the rest of its days." Her tone stern with a hint of playfulness.

"And I'll be expecting another fluff ball next to it when that happens." Nick gave an alluring look at the rabbit, but ultimately failed to get a reaction, not even the slightest blush. His mind raced furiously trying to comprehend what has just occurred; usually he could toy with her emotions as though he was strumming a guitar, but this morning tells a different tale, then it dawned on him that Judy may have, finally, been desensitised to Nick's random flirts, and it was only a matter of time she did. _Not good…_ he thought as he took his seat on the table, _gotta step up my game…_

"Uh, whatever Wilde. C'mon let's eat, I'm famished." The mammals hastily devoured their meals, a blueberry pancake doused in raspberry sauce for the vulpine and a carrot infused hash brown with a tomato sauce dip for the bunny, enjoying every bite of it. It was a simple yet decent meal. "Go wash the dishes while I get our clothes, we'll be off in ten minutes." Judy hopped off her chair and dropped her plate and cutleries into the sink, she soon disappeared into their closet before Nick could react.

"Yes ma'am," he muttered under his breath before attending to the pile of dishes.

…

…

"SHUT IT!" a voice reverberated from the bullpen as the force's two smallest animals enter through the door.

"Buffalo Butt's at it again," Nick commented, Judy simply nodded, "that's why his voice is always so hoarse. Heh heh, horse." He poked the bunny on her shoulders and pointed at a stallion who was making his way to the cafeteria, "my timing is impeccable," he praised himself in a prideful tone as Judy brought her small paws over her face, concealing the scowl she produced from his terrible joke.

"Anyways…" her paws fell back to her sides as she continued, "Perry will be here soon and when he comes we'll report to Bogo, get the necessary warrants approved, go to Thundratown and shut Pipestry once and for all." She recited the day's schedule with clarity as the fox searched through the files that were in his grasp, making sure that all the information they needed were present. After that he stuffed the papers back forcefully causing the folder to bulge, this instigated a small degree of distress in the bunny; she had an obsession for orderliness. Her frustration over Nick's sloppy work manifested itself into behavioural cues: rapid tapping of her feet and vigorous twitching of her nose, that the fox easily caught on with.

"What?" he asked innocently, without a word Judy just snatched the pile of documents from his grip and arranged them back in order, her paws moved swiftly and managed to slide the papers back to their respective slots in the folder in a blink of an eye. "Wow…" was the only thing the stunned fox could get out at the moment, he was truly impressed at his competent and efficient partner. A victorious smile hung over her muzzle as she passed the folder back to Nick.

Silence fell upon the building as countless officers scurried back into their designated cubicles, Judy seized this chance to speak with her partner regarding a thought that has bothered and clouded her mind, a thought that could change the course of their future entirely, and that was a truly terrifying thought. "Nick…" she hesitated for a second, but seeing that she has the vulpine's full attention, there was no turning back, "do you have any plans for the weekend?"

"If you consider cuddling a plan, sure I do." He gave a wink and slid his phone back into his empty pocket.

"Good, coz I was wondering… y'know, since you're free, I was thinking… if you really are available… would you like to… go… to Bunnyburrow, with me?" She paused several times in her speech, but her message clearly made it into Nick's head as he staggered forward and collapsed on the ground.

"Bu- Bu- Bu- Bunny- burrow?" Panic took a hold on his mind as he started hyperventilating at the thought of getting crushed by mountains of bouncing bunnies. "Why now? Why Bunnyburrow? WHY?!" he whined as a soft whimper escaped from his muzzle, which Judy found somewhat cute.

"Well, I kinda told my folks about my amazing partner, and they're kinda thrilled to meet him, then I kinda told them I'm visiting this weekend, and they kinda expect you to be there, so…" she explained and shrugged her shoulders. With Nick's muzzle agape, Judy reached her paw and gently pushed against his chin, closing the gap between his upper and lower fangs. After composing himself and gathering his thoughts, Nick shot back up unto his padded feet while rubbing his temples to ease a headache that was threatening to surface.

"Does your parents, who so happen to despise foxes, know that your amazing partner is, in fact, a FOX!" he panned his paws down his torso to add emphasis to his words. "Judy, I don't wanna die young, please you need to understand," he begged with his fingers intertwined.

"Relax, they're not gonna kill you. In fact, they even work with another red fox, Gideon Gr-"

"Gideon? Who's Gideon?" Nick dropped his pleading act entirely and replaced it with his normal, smug looking façade. "Another fox? There's ANOTHER fox? Should I be worried about him? Who is he to you? Maybe I should do a background check…" he darted a glance at the lobby before glaring at the doe. Closing the distance between them, he stared straight into her amethyst hues with suspicion and curiosity and whispered into her sensitive ears,"I swear if he lays a single claw on you it'll be the end of him." Judy chuckled a little and grinned widely.

"Is this jealousy I smell? Afraid you'll lose your bunny to another fox?" Judy teased, Nick raised a finger and was about to retort when a platypus suddenly barged though the rotating doors.

"We're not done with this." The fox pointed at the doe, his furrowed eyebrows betrayed his inner feelings of insecurity. Judy gained pleasure from Nick's dramatic yet genuine response, she felt secure knowing that she had someone to lean on, someone who she could count on, someone who would go the distance to keep her by his side.

"Sorry… I'm late… got held up… with some stuff..." Perry said in short breaths, panting vigorously as though he had just sprinted through a marathon, he leaned his webbed paws on his sturdy knees as he took in a series of deep breaths.

"No problem, we were just going to report to the chief, then we'll be off for Thundratown, maybe grab some lunch on our way back." Nick, turning away from Judy, said.

"That'll… be nice. Got the papers ready?" Nick flung the folder at the platypus, but his short arms failed to catch it in time. The fox murmured some gibberish softly and quickly collected the scattered sheets of papers from the floor, his ears flushed from embarrassment as Judy started giggling at the clumsy fox.

"Let's go, Bogo's waiting," Judy prompted as the two males followed behind the doe into the building.

…

…

"Yes sir, the giraffe officer, don't really remember his name, informed me that our pig did knock his forehead on the glass, oh and officer Tumbo finally recalled that manager's name, what was it again? Oh here it is…" Judy presented a document to the chief as he listened intently to her report, the other two mammals, however, were bored out of their wits waiting for her to complete her long winded tales.

"Uh, b-o-r-i-n-g," Nick mouthed to the older mammal as both of them sunk deeper into the oversized cushions.

"I k-n-o-w," Perry replied being careful not to make a sound, lest they get in trouble with the chief. The two males grew restless as Judy continued her endless babbling.

A mischievous thought spawned in Nick's mind as he playfully wiggled his fingers. "W-a-t-c-h t-h-i-s..." he mouthed once again with a knowing look, a playful smirk soon plastered over his snout as his gaze roamed the small frame of the bunny before locking on to its target, the rabbit's tail. Retracting his sharp claws, the vulpine scooted over to Judy's side of the chair and planted his paw into the cushion just beside her vulnerable tail, with agility and precision he twirled the tip of the bundle of fur and withdrew his paw.

"EEEEEEK!" a sharp shriek came from the doe, even the unshakable cape buffalo jumped from his seat in surprise. "NICHOLAS!" she shot the fox a glare as her ears and cheeks became scarlet red, Perry simply brought his fan like webbed paws over his face in disapproval of Nick's actions.

"SIR!" A chubby cheetah crashed through the door before Judy could say another word. "The hyenas, they're at it again."

"I'll be down in a minute, get a team ready."

"Yes sir," Clawhauser said before running out from the room, panting as he did so.

"I've heard enough, you're dismissed." He gestured at the mammals and left the room. Tension filled the room like a cloud of smoke as the bunny took several deep breaths, the platypus noticed this and immediately excused himself, he exited the room and waited outside, leaving the couple to themselves.

"Nicholas…" _here it comes…_ "Piberius…" _again…_ "WILDE!" Judy burst into wild gesticulation as Nick, with his ears pinned down, watched the angry bunny in silence. "We talked about this, not in public, not at work, and especially not in front of BOGO!"

"Ok, I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist it," he chuckled, earning himself a blow to his ribs which caused him to fall on he ground. "Ow."

"You asked for it." She felt slightly better after throwing a punch at the dumb fox, her anger subsided as she helped Nick back to his feet. "Perry and I will go to Tundratown, you will stay here and start with the paperwork. Oh, and you'll be doing mine as well," she said with a smirk, returning to her bubbly self.

"But-"

"No buts, it's final. You'll have to pay for what you just did, I'm not gonna let this slide so easily"

"And if I don't want to do your work?" he questioned while crossing his arms, clearly not pleased with her demands.

"No more cuddling, no more sharing the bed, no more pecks, no mor-"

"Ok ok I'll do it," he groaned reluctantly, a victorious smirk surfaced on Judy's muzzle at Nick's submission to her will, she did indeed have him wrapped around her fingers, and she wasn't afraid to show that. "Seriously Fluff, you'll be the death of me"

"Good." She hopped of the chair and left. _She's so cute when she's mad…_ Nick smiled and followed her out from the room, they then parted ways and got straight to completing their assigned tasks.

…

…

"I'm going to ask one last time, and you better give me an answer or there will be consequences." Nick stared into Judy's violet eyes as he took another bite of his dinner: pasta and bugs drenched in crème of mushroom. "So, who is Gideon Grey? Don't you lie, I searched him up." He pointed his fork at the bunny who was wolfing down a fruit salad.

"Nick, you're not allowed to use the system without a valid reason and I highly doubt this is a valid one." She raised an eyebrow and instinctively placed her paws on her hips, she was starting to regret leaving him alone to his own devices. _Sweet cheese crackers, how will I explain this to Bogo…_

"Just answer me." He placed his utensils down, refusing to eat until he got his answer from the bunny.

"Why don't you come and find out? We'll be leaving about eight in the morning tomorrow." She swallowed the remainder of her meal and tossed the bowl to the centre of the table, "Your turn to do the dishes."

"What? No it's your turn, and you bet I will go and I will hunt this guy down if it's the last thing I do." Nick leaned into the table until his muzzle was just an inch away from the doe's snout, the warm air generated from him exhaling brushed against her sensitive nose sending shivers down her spine, she found pleasure in their close proximity. "You'll never hear the end of this." He picked her empty plate and his unfinished meal from the table and made his way to the kitchen sink, after disposing the leftovers on his plate, he started cleaning the cutleries. "I will get to the bottom of this!" Nick's voice rang from the kitchen, it was almost inaudible as the rushing water from the tap muffled his speech, but Judy's radar like ears managed to pick it up.

"That dumb fox…" Judy, while stealing a glance a Nick, said softly as she collapsed unto the couch, the vulpine soon joined her after he finished his duties with the kitchenware. They huddled together on the couch as the television's white noise buzzed in the background, they sat there enjoying each other's presence, their worries faded away as their heartbeats synchronised with each other forming a harmonious rhythm.

"Judy," Nick said breaking from her embrace, "what will your parents think?"

"About?"

"Us dating." His question threw the bunny off guard, but she was prepared to react appropriately, Judy knew it was only a matter of time that the subject about them being mates would arise. "How will your family take it? If we start dati-"

"Oh but aren't we already?" she flashed a smirk, the shocked look on the vulpine confirms that her comeback has effectively got through to the fox, a wide grin spanned over his muzzle as he let out a satisfied sigh. _I guess we'll have to wait and see..._ she thought, feeling rather uncertain yet hopeful.

"Sly bunny," Nick cooed. He got on all fours and circled Judy for two rounds before lying down unto the sofa, enveloping the bunny with his presence, she giggled sweetly in response. "Don't you go running to another fox, you're mine…"

"Am I now?" she gazed affectionately into his jade orbs, "Yes, yes I am."


	9. A Star is Born

**#9 A Star is Born - Hercules**

A thick, gloomy blanket of clouds loomed over the vast land following the setting of the glorious yet momentary sunset, scarlet rays slowly diminished from the sky as spheres of light come into sight, its small flickers lit the otherwise dark night. Claps of thunder soon rang through the air as lightning forks pierced the earth from the heavens above, flashes of light illuminated the entire area for a brief moment before darkness reclaimed its domain; the signs of a storm could not have been any clearer. A strong wind blew across the plain as the tall grass swayed in unison, only a lonely building situated in the heart of the field remained firm on the ground; many layers of moss covered the well-aged architecture allowing it to blend naturally into the environment. Amongst these moments before the impending tempest, a shadowy figure stood a few metres away from the abandoned house, it gradually moved closer to the building until it disappeared through its doors.

"A storm's coming, aren't we going somewhere else? The humidity's messing with my beautiful coat, I just brushed it..." the black furred mammal through the door and into a well-lit room that had a round table placed in the centre, several canines sat around it as though they were having a meeting, well most probably because they were, in fact, having a meeting at the moment.

"Lynny! You're late, again." the fox sitting on one of the chairs said, annoyance quite evident in her tone. The African wild dog hurried to her seat as the other animals eyeballed her.

"A queen's never late, everyone's just early," Lyn retorted with a smirk, "besides, I'm the main event today, the star of the night!" she raised a paw in enthusiasm as her muzzle tilted upwards with pride. "Call it blowing my own horn, call it self praise, but I think I did pretty well."

"Did well? In?" the confused coyote glanced at each individual trying to understand the situation at hand. "Did we miss something? Ore I think they left us out in the dark again, something definitely happened and we're not in it how unfair is that?" he muttered without stopping for a breather, with hostility and feelings of betrayal he crossed his arms and sank into the chair.

"Congratulations Lyn, heard they closed the case yesterday as a horrible tragedy, nothing more than a mere accident. Well done," Chris, the maned wolf, commended.

"Couldn't have done it without you Chris, wait let me get my speech notes…" she dug through her purse as a groan came from the rest of the pack members, they were eager to get on with planning their upcoming mischiefs, but seeing that Lyn has revealed a huge rolled up piece of mah-jong paper, it may take a long while before they could get anything done. After taking a deep breath, she began, "I would like to thank Chris, the chemist, for your brilliant advice; Conner, the amazing hacker, for your technological support; Vex, for the help from your… associate; and finally, ME! And of course the mole that I planted." She crushed the paper sheet and stuffed it back into her purse, her phone soon started ringing as the mammals stared at her in bewilderment.

"That's it?"

"That's about it, hold on a sec the mole just called. Hello?" she pressed the phone against her large ears and said into the microphone.

"… where are they?" a deep voice came from the other end of the line.

"Hunny, you gotta hold your end of the bargain; leave for the outskirts tomorrow, I'll send them over as soon as I can," she spoke into the phone with a paw on her hips, her furrowed brows portrayed the stressful matters she had to put up with when dealing with the spy, but at the end of the day, it was worth the hassle.

"WHERE ARE MY-"

"Now now dear, don't you raise your voice, or your parents will pay the price." Silence came from the other end; it seems that she has made herself quite clear. "Don't you misbehave now, I'll return your parents, but if you ever plan to meddle with our affairs, just remember that we have your cute little boy marked." She taunted as spiteful as possible, "Imagine coming home one day to find your little boy lying lifelessly on the groun-"

"STOP! Stop, just- just stop."

A triumphant smirk spanned over her muzzle. "I've had a ball working with you, have a nice week ahead my dear platypus." She brought the phone away from herself as a series of loud wails rang through her ears, tapping a button labelled 'end call', she disconnected herself from the call and the horrendous cries ceased. "Well that was nasty."

"I'd say, kidnapping an agent's family and manipulating him to do your dirty work, nasty sounds quite fitting," Wolfgang commented earning a scowl from the dog, he took a sip from his cup of coffee and adjusted his signature monocle in an attempt to avoid her mean glare, _she just killed two animals, don't piss her off, don't piss her off…_ his mind grew uneasy.

Despite her being angry she was quick to forgive the grey wolf, who now had an apologetic and regretful look on his face. "Shall we go for a drink tonight? Such a brilliant start calls for a celebration!" her bubbly demeanour overshadowed the irritation instigated by the wolf, she wasn't going to let his meaningless words dampen her festive mood.

"As long as you don't tamper with our drinks like how you did for those two pathetic animals," Vex said as evil grins surfaced on the canines' snouts, they exchanged a knowing look.

"Seriously guys, what in the world did I miss!?" Everyone's gaze shifted to McCoy, who has now stood from his seat frustrated and agitated.

"Relax you big dork, I'll explain it, I'll explain it all!" Lyn walked up to the coyote and forced him back to his chair, a loud creak could be heard when he crashed back onto the seat. "The plan, the plan, the perfect plan!" she sang as she twirled in her miniskirt, six of the other eight canines dropped their heads in displeasure whereas the other two, Ore and McCoy, stared intently at her short but entrancing dance. "So the dhole, this dhole right here…" her finger moved towards Conner, "he hacked into the security system of the grand Golden Palm Hotel and switched it off; such a whiz, and a geek," she teased as soft chuckles sounded, "I entered the building as a hotel maid and everything went smooth sailing from there," she made a wave with her paws as an added visual component in her presentation, "the moment I entered I was given the task to deliver a meal to room 231, coincidentally, our target's room. It's kinda disappointing actually, I planned this whole sequence of events involving jumping from windows to our targets' rooms but NO, do it the boring way instead," she side-tracked. "Anyways, they called for warm lemon tea, which was perfect because this wolf…" she gestured to Chris and continued, "this maned wolf right here, he gave me little balls made of lead, perfect if you ask me. So I dropped them in, gave it a little stir, and served it to the unsuspecting mammals."

"Lead dissolves best in warm acidic environments, and coincidentally their beverages met these conditions." Chris sat up from his seat to further elaborated, the canines nodded simultaneously.

"We got ourselves a good chemist guys, well done." Lyn clapped her paws together in acknowledgement of Chris's competency. "From there one it was the work of both Vex's associate and my mole that led us to victory!"

"It was simple; switch the evidence bag containing the pipe from the hotel with a bag containing a pipe sold by Pipestry, that way the company will be forced to close down while taking the blame for our actions, killing two birds with one stone," Vex added, everyone marvelled at the apparently flawless crime.

"Why exactly do we need to kill two old plumbers and destroy a petty organisation like Pipestry? What reward can we possibly find in doing this?" McCoy pressed on to question her motives, which was considered uncharted waters for the oblivious coyote.

"…no, you need not know," Lyn dropped her jolly expression and took her seat at the table, her thoughts became distant as memories of the past flashed before her eyes, memories she wish she could forget.

Many years ago when she was still a young pup her family lived in great poverty, every day was a battle to stay alive, a struggle to keep living. One day, her parents racked up enough cash for a water filter, it was an old model that has been discontinued long ago, but it still served its basic function of cleansing water. When the device arrived at their tiny, worn out home, two amateur plumbers, a beaver and a pig by the names Castor and Seuss, assisted in the installation of the gadget. Her parents were so thrilled, finally they were able to let their beloved daughter taste clean and purified water; the fresh flavours from the glass of water still lingered on the tip of Lyn's tongue, so refreshing and rejuvenating, it tasted heavenly. However, unbeknown to the family, the water filter they purchased contained a secret, a secret that the suppliers hid from their customers, a secret that slowly tore the family apart: it contained lead.

After many years of drinking water that was purified from that very device, the young pup experienced constant abdominal pain, weight loss, vomiting and anaemia; these symptoms amplified itself as several agonizing months went by. Everything started going downhill after the family found out that Lyn, in her young age, has kidney failure and needed immediate medical attention; kidney transplant was their only hope for her survival. Her parents barely managed to cover for the medical fees that had accumulated, they sold all that they owned to pay off the debt ultimately leaving them with nothing but the will to live, but even that soon wore thin...

A tear formed as her mind relived her painful, dark past. In the midst of her unsettled thoughts, a soft voice rang through her head, it said: _Don't give up when your forlorn, in the darkest hours your heart has the power to get you through. Keep your eyes upon the skies, there's where I will be watching over you…_ those were the last words her father told her before he passed on, the very words that granted her renewed strength.

"Quit it Coy," Lyn snapped out from her train of thought as Vex rebuked the coyote's pestering. Placing a paw on the fox's shoulder to stop her from scolding the innocent canine further, she locked her gaze with McCoy's.

"You guys deserve to know the truth," she panned a paw at the canines, "what reward can we get from this? Justice. Now we can proudly call ourselves heroes," Lyn said with a smile, she took a short glance at the mammals before her, the mammals she now calls family.


	10. On My Way

**#10 On My Way - Brother Bear**

"Clothes, jeans and khakis?"

"Check"

"Toothbrush, a fur brush, and other toiletries?"

"Phones, chargers and a laptop?"

"Check."

"Signature tie, signature grin and a bushy tail?"

"Check, I guess…"

"Stunning appearance, dashing looks and a handsome face."

"…"

"A cute little bunny"

"…check." Judy smirked slightly as Nick hoisted their heavy luggage down from their bed, they have taken a solid hour to decide on the things they would be bringing for their stay in Bunnyburrow, half of that time was spent rummaging through heaps of old clothing and picking out the most decent ones while the other half was Judy relentlessly dissuading the fox from bringing his ridiculously large collection of horror movies. "No Nick, put that back." She swatted his paw that was currently reaching to grab one of the said films.

"How you wound me." Nick placed his free paw over his heart and shook his paw to exaggerate the pain. Judy casually sneered at his overreaction, almost automatically she jabbed her elbow into the fox's firm abdomen, causing him to stagger backwards.

"I guess that's all we need," the doe took one last glance at their baggage, a large suitcase that contained both Nick and her belongings, then darted around the room in search of any items that they may have left out. Nick chuckled at the restless bunny before him.

"Relax Carrots, we got all we need right here." He tapped on the side of the luggage lightly, it threatened to explode as it was bloated with all their clothes. "Besides, you're not supposed to be the one breaking down Fluff, I AM." The vulpine tugged on his erected ears, the thought of meeting Judy's parents has haunted him tenaciously and has caused him much distress and discomfort, he even experienced hours of pain from psychosomatic headache which cost him his beauty sleep, and it has only been less than a day since he was told of his surprise visit to his potential-mate's hometown. Nick rubbed his temples as the pain returned to torment with his worn-out mind.

Judy's lips tugged into a smirk at the amount of unnecessary stress Nick was experiencing, call her sadistic, but she almost felt pleased at how anxious the fox was. "Just don't do anything stupid or you'll be on their wanted list, and that'll probably end with your pelt on the wall."

"Oh my, but I bet I'm already on another bunny's wanted list." It was now Nick's turn to flash a sly grin as the pounding in his head weakened tremendously, he wiggled his brows alluringly at the blushing rabbit who has covered her amethyst orbs with her drooping ears. "And it might just be me pinning that certain bunny on a wall…"

"Okay that's quite enough Wilde." Her ears stood back up revealing her flushed cheeks, her heart could be seen beating from her chest as she drew a deep breath to try to calm it down. Nick gave a deep chuckle at her reaction, obviously pleased with his magical silver tongue.

"C'mon you little ball of fluff, we're gonna miss the train if we don't head out soon." He retrieved their bag and headed for the door, turning back for one last check on the house they're about to leave behind, he noticed Judy was still standing inanimately in the master bedroom; their short conversation earlier has left her in quite a daze. "Hey, don't just stand there help me out with this." Judy shook herself out from the brief trance she was trapped in before fetching the keys to their apartment, they both stepped out from their home and locked its doors.

…

…

The blue, cloudy skies hovered over the magnificent metropolis that is Zootopia, warm beams from the sun beat down against the countless skyscrapers that filled the city view. The morning was a rather slow one, the usual bustling city somehow subsided into a quiet town, no mammals were in sight save for those who were rushing to work, it seems that the prolonged shower that came the night before, which still hasn't fully receded, has kept many families from leaving the comforts of their homes. But of course, it didn't succeed in keeping Nick and Judy from carrying out their plans for the weekend. The rabbit restlessly hopped about the station in anticipation of the upcoming train while the fox remained seated on a bench not too far from the tracks, he kept his eyes shut and listened attentively to the beautiful melody of raindrops pounding on the ceiling above their heads.

"Give it a break Carrots it's only 8 o'clock, the train's not coming until fifteen more minutes," Nick prompted as he removed his shades to get a clearer view of Judy.

"That can't be right, the last time I was here it arrived right about now."

"Yeah, 'the last time you were here' was like, what, four years ago? The times have changed Carrots." The doe shot him a glare, evidently irked at how the vulpine was somewhat right. She stomped towards the fox when her ear picked up the screeching of an approaching train.

"Right on time." Judy flashed a toothy grin at the laid-back fox as the incoming train came to a halt, "I was right." A victorious smile stretched across her muzzle, she reached for Nick's arm and dragged him up the surprisingly empty carriage, they barely got on when a series of beeping noises sounded before the doors closed. "Times have changed huh? Please."

"Oh boy, I'm not gonna hear the end of this..." Nick dropped his paws in defeat, a sigh slipped from him as they threw themselves onto the soft cushioned seats.

"Well, I'm correct and you're wrong, how often does that happen? Quite often now that I think about it..."

"Sure, rub it in, why don't you." His pride took a blow at her comment, but a witty comeback soon formed in his mind as a grin crept onto his snout. "Actually you're right, you made loads of good choices, me being one of them." He watched the bunny turn from proud and confident to shy and withdrawn, her gleaming eyes portrayed the emotions welled up within her.

"I..." she forcefully swallowed a lump that has formed in her throat; her sentence was left unfinished as mixed feelings of joy, fear and uncertainty raged on in her mind. _I sure hope so..._

"What's wrong? A foxy got your tongue tied?" Nick quipped as she threw a punch at his shoulder, but her emotion driven state weakened it to a mere prod, the ticklish contact made the fox chuckle. "Cute." It was but a short wait before the train jerked into motion, its journey to the burrows soon began.

…

…

"Yes mom we just left the station, we'll be there in an hour time. Love you, see you, bye!" Judy placed her phone back into the shallow pocket of her jeans and paced towards a flight of stairs, passing by numerous vacant seats as she did so. Climbing up the steps towards the observation deck, a bundle of tangerine fur wrapped in a green cotton shirt caught Judy's eye, he looked so fluffy and huggable, but she knew she had to resist the urge to strangle him; instead she made her way to his side and stood in silence.

There was a quiet moment as the speeding train emerged from a dark tunnel, tall trees came into sight as small shrubs sprawled across the land; low hanging vines swung at the light breeze; heavy raindrops obscured the view on the other side of the glass plane; a strong aroma of fresh plants filled the couple's senses; they had entered Rainforest District.

Nick took in the marvellous scene that had presented itself before him, but his attention quickly shifted to Judy whom he caught staring idly at his right arm; she seemed distant and contemplative, a definite deviation from her usual character. "You good Carrots?" he finally said, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Well actually…" Judy spoke hesitantly. "I've been thinking, a lot."

"Wow, I haven't noticed," Nick replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm, eliciting a smile from the doe.

"Har har. But seriously, Nick, can you be completely honest with me?"

"Of course Carrots, what's up?" his smug demeanour dropped as he grew mildly concerned.

"Am… am I too much to put up with?" now Nick was really worried. "I mean, I barely told you anything about this trip and just drag you all the way here. Heck, I didn't even give you a choice. How do you manage to put up with a selfish…"

"Carrots."

"horrible…"

"Judy."

"bunny like me. I-"

"Judy stop that!" he scolded pointing a finger at the rabbit. "First off, I was the one who made the final decision to follow you to the burrows, we were going to meet your parents eventually so might as well do it now. Secondly, you're not a selfish bunny, you're just eager to share the things you love with your beloved fox." A small smile found its way over Judy's muzzle, she has never thought of it that way. "Lastly, please, do not ever call yourself a horrible mammal Judy, you're practically the best thing that has happened to me..." the doe started tearing as Nick wrapped his arms around her small frame drawing her into his embrace, the hug lasted for a great deal of time since both mammals refused to let the other go.

"Thank you." A soft whisper came from the rabbit followed by some sniffling.

"Bunnies, so emotional." They finally loosened their tight grip on each other as the train entered yet another dark tunnel, the air started getting cooler as the cart went deeper into the darkness. Upon emerging on the other end of the passage, a chilling blast of coldness struck the train and all that was within it; droplets of water crystallised into a delicate lattice that spanned across the entire window; a landscape of white filled the view of the observation deck; they have arrived at the snowy realm of Tundratown.

"Judy…" Nick said with the rabbit still in his arms, "how about you?"

"I'm sorry?" the bunny asked sounding a little confused, but she already had an idea on where this was headed.

"I mean, how do you put up with me?" he asked with utmost sincerity.

"Well, I've learnt that-"

"I mean seriously, how can you cope with so much awesomeness?" he interrupted Judy mid-sentence while gesturing at his overall. "Just look at me, look at this phenomenal face! How do you have so much self-control not to lunge at me every time you see me?" a grin immediately grew wide across his snout.

"Oh please, it isn't that hard; I've been looking at my reflection for a good deal of time, a pretty high standard as compared to your 'handsome' face." She performed, using two fingers, air quotes to add sarcasm into her speech, this was proven to be effective as Nick raised a brow in mock disapproval. _She's good…_ he thought, there was no doubt about that. "I win, again." She concluded beaming victoriously.

"Whatever floats your boat fluff." The red fox withdrew his entangled arms and slipped them back into his pockets, leaving Judy unprotected from the icy condition they were in.

"Brrrr, it's cold." Judy vocalised through her shuddering teeth as a chilling sensation shot through her spine.

"That wouldn't be a problem." He stretched out his arms before continuing, "I have a warm heart." He said with a sweet smile, they soon resumed with their endless cuddling.

There was darkness and there was light; sunlight poured down on the flat dunes which extended beyond the boundaries of the land; palm trees and various cacti with deeply ingrained roots were planted along the streets; a gigantic golden structure stood tall in the centre of the desert foreshadowing other less grand buildings that surrounded it, its abstract design and artistic features helped the construction stand out from the otherwise boring sandplains; the Grand Palm Hotel, definitely an iconic landmark of the hot and sunny Sahara Square.

"What's your plan when we get there? I hope you got our transportation all sorted out," Nick asked ending the uncomfortable silence that had fallen on the duo, Judy glanced at the vulpine from the corner of her eye and turned her back at him.

"Actually… we're gonna have to, er, em, walk home," she said stuttering in her speech, the fox dropped his jaw in shock of the heard news; he hated the idea of walking under the scorching sun and sweating profusely from the heatwave that it brings, he hated the idea of stepping on the boiling hot tar road that would sear the sole of his foot, he hated it all with every fibre of his being.

"Aww come on rabbit, you got to be kidding me!" he whined at the smirking bunny.

"Nope, I'm being totally serious right now, and you'll be carrying our stuff! How fun is that?"

"You've got to be-"

"And the walk will take half an hour."

"Oh come-"

"By car." Nick nearly collapsed at the situation that has unfolded before him, but before he could react further an announcement was made from the sounds system of the train.

" _Next stop, Bunnyburrow_." The voice of a female antelope resonated throughout the cart bringing Nick's dreaded nightmares into reality.

"Don't worry, it wouldn't be that bad. Besides, you have me!" Judy's bubbly attitude resurfaced as she hoped downstairs towards the exit. The walk home will be a rather long one, she sure was glad to have a companion by her side, but ultimately she felt very blessed that that companion was none other than Nick Wilde.


	11. Love

**#11 Love - Robin Hood**

The atmosphere grew immensely tense as time seemingly came to a halt. Countless pairs of eyes darted between the red fox that was before the door and the elderly bunnies that stood on the other side, despite being twice as tall as the older mammals, Nick felt like a tiny rat before a vicious lion, definitely not the best feeling in the world. His extended paw remained unattended to as the bunnies eyed the fox suspiciously, it has only been a few seconds since he offered his paw, but it felt like an eternity has passed. A forced smile surfaced upon Nick's muzzle as Judy father, Stu Hopps, grabbed his paw with a firm handshake. A knot in his stomach loosened upon seeing the rabbit smile warmly.

"It's a pleasure to finally get to see you in person, son," he greeted cheerfully, much to Nick's relief; he was expecting Stu to tase him with his brand new fox taser, but that was not the case.

"The pleasure's all mine," Nick replied, feeling very happy that Judy's parents were more than willing to welcome him into their home. The hordes of tiny rabbits burst into loud cheering as they swarmed towards the guests, drowning both Nick and Judy in a fluffy sea of fur, they struggled to keep their stance but soon gave in to the merciless assaulters.

"Hold on kids, let the nice fox be and go get some snacks, the cookies are ready!" Bonnie, Judy's mother, shouted from behind the mountain of bunnies as they made a beeline into the enormous house. "Sorry about that, the children are always so full of energy," she added sheepishly.

"That is fine Mrs Hopps, but maybe hold on the sugar the next time you make those cookies." This elicited a soft chuckle from the doe as both her and her husband helped their guests to their feet, they soon found themselves in a tight hug with their daughter whom they have not seen, in person, for quite a bit of time.

"How're you Jude the Dude?" Stu started earning a scowl from Judy; she hated the nicknames her father gave her, they were, and still are, horrible.

"Dad, we talked about the whole 'Jude the Dude' thing," she flashed an annoyed look at her father, but that failed to shake his continuous teasing.

"Enough already Stu," Bonnie warned in a rather playful manner, they released their grip on their daughter and took a step back.

"Welcome home," the couple said warmly in unison, Nick and Judy both shared a soft sigh followed by a large smile, _home…_

…

…

Orange wallpaper that were plastered throughout the walls came into sight as the red fox and his grey bunny stepped through the door, he was stupefied when he took a glimpse of the big hall, it almost felt like they had just entered a king's castle, although castle was still an understatement. Numerous carrot inspired items were placed at various locations in the house; carrot shaped picture frames hung on the walls, carrot shaped television stood alone at the corner of the hall, carrot shaped toys scattered across the floor, a true display of a bunny's affection for the boring, bitter, orange root. It made Nick wonder why rabbits had such an affinity for carrots, but that discussion can wait for another time as they came to a halt in front of a room at the end of the corridor.

"Here's where you'll sleep," Bonnie said pointing at the small door that was before her, it had a, once again showing the extent of a rabbit's obsession for carrots, a carrot shaped plate stuck on its surface, the number '113' was embedded on it, now the house felt more like a hotel than a castle. "Go ahead and settle down, I'll go grab some snacks for you two," and with that the doe left for the kitchen.

"Make yourselves at home!" Stu said before turning around and heading his own way, leaving the duo alone in the empty corridor. They quickly got their luggage and dragged it inside the room, crouching slightly as they did so as the door was rather short, even for Judy. Upon entering, they were amazed to see that the room was bigger from the inside than the out; the ceiling was higher than they expected allowing for more head room, the room was also quite large, it was twice as large as Judy's first apartment in Zootopia, definitely able to provide room for two mammals. _Just the two of us…_ Judy thought as a chill travelled down her spine.

"What is it with you and the staring?" Nick spoke causing Judy to snap at him, she had unknowingly drifted into a daydream. "I am really that irresistible aren't I?"

"Oh har har," she replied, "I was just thinking about what I planned for us today, and I think you'll really enjoy it!"

"I'll be the judge of that."

"Alright then, once we're- you're done unpacking we can go to the place," she said much to the fox's dismay.

"What am I, a slave? Why can't you help? Why is it always me? Life's so unfair…" he ranted as though he was a child, but his complains soon ceased as Judy held his paws with hers, brought her muzzle close to his ear, and whispered softly.

"You'll be rewarded with an evening full of romance." That successfully silenced the vulpine, but not for long. The frown Nick portrayed soon turned into his signature smirk.

"Why wait for the evening when we can have our romance now?" he said suggestively, though this failed to get any violent reactions from the doe. She pulled him down by his tie until they were eye level and demanded authoritatively.

"Save it for late, Slick, and get started or we're not going anywhere."

"Aye aye captain Carrots," He murmured and stumbled backwards when Judy let his tie go, "but after our romantic evening, what have you planned for the night? If nothing's in our schedule, I have some ideas." He glanced at the bunny as she turned brick red, he could even feel the heat radiating from her tiny frame.

"Quit it Nick, they might hear you!" she scolded while gesturing around the room, "The walls have ears," she concluded.

"Right," he said softly, lest their inappropriate conversation draws unnecessary attention. "Y'know, you should at least try to be consistent with your emotions, Carrots," he whispered with the softest voice he has ever spoken in, "like, your blushing is so random, your mood swings are so unpredictable, I can't handle it, it's very stressful for me. Imagine all the years I have to spend with such an emotional creature like you." The teased earned him a sock in his arm, one which he clearly deserved.

"Well at least you're here to stay, unlike…" Judy grew silent.

"Unlike? You had a boyfriend before this? A lover before me!? Judy who is it? It better not be that Gideon Guy." A frown found its way to his face as he pressed on with determination, this made the doe burst into laughter.

"You look so cute when you're jealous," she added soon after her laughing fit.

"Judy, who is it?" he said in a serious tone as he glared greedily at his bunny.

"My lips are sealed." She pursed her lips and tugged on an imaginary zipper that spanned over her lips. Out of the blue, Nick lunged forward and locked lips with the grinning rabbit. After mere seconds the fox released Judy, now in a daze, and sat back down on the bed looking as smug as ever.

"Lips still sealed?" He teased further. _Don't freak out, don't freak out…_ Judy repeated to herself in an attempt to calm her rapidly beating heart. "What's up? A fox got you _tongue_ tied?" he flashed a knowing look at the deeply embarrassed bunny, she wanted to punch him in the arm, but her body wasn't responding to her at the moment; apparently it was experiencing some sort of emotion induced paralysis.

"Nick you-"

"Judy!" a voice came from outside the room, "come downstairs!" it said again, Judy confirmed that that was the voice of her beloved mother and decided to obey its instructions.

"You're not leaving 'til you get this done and over with." The grey rabbit pointed at their bag and left the vulpine alone in the room.

Heading down the endless flight of stairs, sounds of countless bunnies hopping around rang through Judy's sensitive ears, she could hear several of her siblings chatting in the midst of the chaos, but she couldn't make up the exact words they were saying. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, a large group of rabbits stood before her, in the centre of the crowd stood Bonnie who had a cake balanced on the top of her palm.

"Here's a welcoming treat," she said contently as the mob of rabbits cheered at the deliciously looking dessert, she then passed the cake to Judy who received it delightedly. Upon further examination, she noticed that the cake was in fact a carrot cake, Bonnie's signature carrot cake to be exact, and it was coated with cream cheese frosting and scattered with dozens of blueberries. _Nick's gonna love these…_ she thought as she smiled.

"Thanks mom," She said and brought her mother into yet another tight hug.

"Where's the fox? Didn't he come down with you?" Bonnie asked, curious as to why Judy came downstairs by herself.

"He's unpacking our stuff. And his name is Nick, not 'the fox'."

"Right, sorry." The older doe quickly apologised. "You guys aren't sharing a room now are you?"

"Well of course we are! We-"

"Well that's unacceptable! He needs some time for himself, you should use your old room; everything is still the way you left it."

"But mom-" Bonnie placed a finger over Judy's lips before she could finish what she had to say.

"No arguments, you are not sharing a room with that fox…"

"Nick," Judy corrected.

"Right, Nick. And there's no way I am letting a fox share a bed with my daughter…"

"Nick," She corrected again.

"And if I ever find you sleeping next to that fox-"

"Oh my gosh, his name is NICK!" Judy burst out in frustration, the older of the two bunnies was taken aback with what she had just witnessed, it was unlike Judy to just lash out with so much rage and anger. Unsure of how to react to this new behaviour, Bonnie simply gave her a mild scolding.

"I do not know where this attitude is coming from and I don't like it one bit," she said sternly with her paws on her hips, the typical "I'm warning you" pose. Judy was quick to notice her fault and apologise for her displayed aggression.

"I'm sorry, but Nick's a very nice mammal, he doesn't deserve to be called that, he's so much more than that…" she pleaded.

"Alright sweetie, I'll be more careful with my words. But that doesn't change the fact that you're not going anywhere near his room when it's lights out. Now go pass him some of this delicious cake, I've baked several more extra ones so you can have this one all to yourselves!"

"Thanks mom." And with that Judy dashed back up the stairs to reunite with her favourite fox.

…

…

Melodious tunes filled the air as insects of all species sang their songs, the dim glow from fireflies were as blinking stars in the night sky. Both factors contribute to the natural, soothing, and exceptionally lovely ambience; the perfect place for the perfect date.

"It's a nice place," Nick commented as he wrapped his arms around the bunny that was seated on his lap, a sigh slipped from his muzzle as he allowed his body to slump onto the tough bark of the tree.

"'Nice' is all you got? Not beautiful? Not astounding?"

"Those are saved for you, my little Carrot," he retorted getting an immediate reaction from Judy; the typical flushed cheeks and burning hot ears. "Cute," he added, Judy was about to react to it, but she decided to brush it off.

"Wait till you see what else I have in store for us!" she leaped off from her fox cushion and started pacing around the lake, Nick soon followed suit. After passing some trees and going through some bushes, they emerged at a completely different environment, one worthy to be described as breath taking; it had a waterfall at the centre, its cascading waters poured into the lake below, which in turn poured out its contents into an adjacent pond, lily pads floated above the rippling waters of the smaller pond, its bright pink flowers were in full bloom, a true sight to behold.

"Wow…" Nick admired in awe, but before he could completely immerse himself in the scenery Judy pulled him, by his paw, and ran towards the waterfall.

"Come on!" she prompted as they made their way through a tunnel that was covered by some bushes. After a moment of crawling they found themselves in a cave hidden just behind the waterfall, the gushing waters concealed the secret haven that they had occupied; it seems that this was not the first time Judy had been here as she had just admitted to the fox that she would always seek refuge in this cave during her darkest moments in life. "So if I ever run away, you'll probably find me here," she ended with that note.

"No Judy, when things get tough, you don't have to come all the way here; you can come to me," he caringly stroked her limp ears as she sniffled, her emotions had gotten the better of her, again.

"Nick..." she nuzzled into his neck and sighed in relief, "thank you." The fox simply curled himself around her and leaned onto the smooth rocks of the cave. "And to think that four years ago we were complete strangers carrying on with life without each other. It seems like it was only yesterday when I hustled you into helping me out with the Otterton case."

"Correction, I willingly decided to help you, no hustle involved." A sly grin formed on his muzzle as he gazed into the bunny's amethyst eyes.

"Right, of course you did," she quipped, her speech overflowing with sarcasm, a trait she picked up from the hustle king himself. The conversation quickly died off as they spent some time enjoying each other's presence, Nick even managed to doze off with the rabbit still in his grasp; the calming sound of the rushing water and the warmth of his companion's touch effectively put him into a deep slumber. Memories of the past four years flashed by Judy's eyes as she reflected on the moments she spent with her partner, almost half a decade has gone by in a blink of an eye, from mere strangers to a couple, _how fast those moments flee…_ she thought in serenity, but then became emotional again as she pondered upon the many years to come; there isn't much time left, considering how hectic their lives are now, and how dangerous their jobs are, the days they have left to spend with each other are numbered, and the countdown had already begun. Negative thoughts began to creep into Judy's mind, the thought of her living without her loving fox, the thought of her losing him... Just then the todd stirred beneath her, a gently smile grew across his muzzle, he looked so happy and satisfied with all that he had, Judy couldn't help but share a smile. _Life is brief, but when it's gone…_

 _Love goes on and on…_


	12. Not One of Us

**#12 Not One of Us - Lion King II**

"What could possibly go wrong?" these were the exact words that were spoken by Judy last night before she entered Nick's room, they never had any bad intentions, all they wanted to do was accompany each other for the night; it had been a long and exhausting day. However, their rather intimate friendship was not widely accepted by other mammals, especially mammals of the older generation who had a more traditional way of thinking, Judy's parents are good examples of said animals, speaking of which…

"What did I tell you yesterday Judy? No going near that fox after lights out!" Bonnie pointed accusingly at the innocent red fox, his ears fell close to his scalp as she scolded the younger doe. "Don't think I didn't hear your conversations yesterday when you were unpacking." Quite honestly she didn't exactly catch what they said the previous day, but judging by how the younger mammals cringed at her words, their little talk could be somewhat relevant to the situation at hand. "What were you guys trying to achieve by sharing that room?" Bonnie demanded an answer.

"It's nothing mom, really. It's like… it's like having a sleepover at a friend's place!" Judy replied cheerfully in an attempt to liven up the tense atmosphere, not really a smart decision as her bubbly demeanour failed to have any effect on the fuming rabbits, but rather seemed to have added fuel to the already blazing flame.

"Right, a sleepover. A sleepover where you cuddle with each other in your bare fur!? What has become of this generation…" Stu grumbled under his breath, though Judy heard it nonetheless.

"Stu not in front of the kids!" Bonnie warned her companion after noticing several of her children overhearing the conversation. "But your father does have a point, why were you two totally unclothed!? You better have a good explanation for this or I'll be reporting the both of you to the chief!" her warning was clear and on the point. The two mammals exchanged nervous looks, _what have we gotten ourselves into…_ the doe thought solemnly, she felt a paw over her arm as she broke from her train of thoughts, a paw that managed to calm her down, a paw that brought reassurance to her doubting mind; Nick's paw.

"Judy, we need to tell them," the fox murmured softly, the older couple strained their ears to make up what he said, but their hearing was not as sharp as they used to be.

"No, they could tear us apart, they could-"

"It would be better than Bogo telling them all about it, and we both know he never leaves any deal out." Reality hit Judy very hard, they had no choice but to let the cat out of the bag. "The sooner we do this, the faster we can carry on with our lives, as an official pair." Nick flashed a gentle smile and cupped Judy's shaking paws with his, after letting out a sigh and gathering their courage, both mammals turned to face their fate, their future depended on the next few words they say.

"Dad… mom…" Judy started, not knowing how to continue. Their eyes made contact with the elderly couples' and as soon as they gaze locked on with each other, Bonnie folded his arms defensively and waited for Judy to finish, Stu on the other hand was less patient.

"What do you have to say for yourselves?" his tone was stern yet not as aggressive as before.

"We're sorry if whatever we did crossed some lines."

"A whole lot of lines actually," Bonnie added.

"But with that being said, in my- our opinion, what we did was technically not wrong-"

"Why is that so? Not wrong!?" Bonnie raised her voice up a notch to get her argument across. "The only time mammals ever do that is when their courting, so how on Earth is this 'not wrong'!?"

"Because that is exactly what's happening mom!" there was silence from the older doe's side. "I'm dating this fox." The ears of both her parents fell almost instantly as their mouths went agape, they inhaled through their muzzles in disbelief.

"Wha- what did you say?" Bonnie stuttered in her speech, a mix of anger and shock overwhelmed her. "Did- did I hear her correctly? Do my ears deceive me?" she rapidly tapped on her husband for answers.

"Is… is it true, Judy? Please tell it's not true," Stu said on the verge of tears. Silence returned as Nick and Judy dropped their heads in defeat, her parent's distaste for her best friend was so evident and strong, she couldn't bear to see what they would do to separate the duo. _Accept me with open arms? Seeing how they shoot glares of disgust at me, I highly doubt that would happen. Tie me up and throw me into a stack of burning hay while holding pitchforks and torches? Most likely…_ Nick tried not to snicker at the thought, but he couldn't resist himself, the older rabbits shifted their gaze back to him with glares that were more menacing than before. They gently shook their heads in disapproval.

"A fox and a rabbit… this is wrong, this is so wrong, don't you see?" Stu, in much anger and disappointment, muttered. Nick and Judy felt like they were pushed to a corner, there was no way to run, no place to hide, they must confront whatever's ahead of them.

"We do see why sir, but-"

"You see why and you're still with my daughter?" Nick was speechless, he had met a dead end. "You're no different from the rest of those… those vermin." The fox stood quietly taking all the hurled insults, _don't let them see that they get to you, don't let them see that they get to you…_ but even he had his limits.

"Dad, he has helped me in so many cases, he has saved my life countless times, he even took a bullet to his arm just to keep me safe, can't you at least give him the respect he deserves!?" she has had it, Stu was pushing it too far.

"The respect he deserves? I'm giving him what he deserves alright. I know his kind, deceiving others so they view him as a 'good mammal' and that you'll be safe around him, such a disgrace!"

"Deceived us? This is an outrage! He has never done such a thing dad stop accusing him!"

"Oh yeah? What was he before he was an officer? If my memory serves me right, a CON ARTIST!" they were stunned with Stu's answer, Nick's past had finally came back to haunt him.

"Wha- how is this even relevant to us being together!?" Judy defended.

"Predator and prey, they don't develop feelings for each other, Judy, you were toyed with by this… this monster." The older rabbits took a step back to get further from the apparent threat that was Nick himself.

"How could you say such a thing!" Judy reached for Nick's arm, but he brushed her paw away before they made any contact. The doe took a glance at him, his gaze was cast down and his ears were flat against his head, it was very subtle but Judy could see that he was shaking, the relentless accusations, the psychological beating, who wouldn't break down in such a scenario? He backed up against a wall and ran upstairs; he had reached his limit. After a prompting from Bonnie, Stu tailed the fox up the stairs and disappeared from their sight.

"Good riddance, now that he's gone let's have a proper discussion on this." Judy couldn't believe her ears, she thought her parents have overcome the stereotypical mind-set they once had, but it was revealing itself again in a manner that was worse than before.

"How could you…" she made her way towards the stairs as Bonnie grabbed her arm, stopping her from advancing forward.

"Don't you remember what that scar on your face?" the older doe pointed at her daughter's cheek where three claw marks, now covered by a thick layer of grey fur, were present. Judy brought her paw up and stroked the region of her injury.

"He's different mom," Judy pleaded and left for their room, which she soon found out was locked from the inside, voices could be heard through the thin walls of the room, one of her father's the other of Nick's.

"I know what you'll say, I'm your typical fox from the city, born with greed and raised in hate, and there's nothing I can do to change this fate. That's all I'll ever be in your eyes, a worthless waste of space," Nick said through sobs, it crushed Judy's soul to hear him in such a state.

"Exactly, now go," Stu warned dangerously, he probably had his fox taser in his paw, but she couldn't confirm it.

"Dad stop that please!" Judy banged on the door in great desperation, "Can't we just have a peaceful Sunday morning!?"

"Peace went out the window the first thing this fox stepped into our home, he was only asking for trouble the moment he came!" his glare turned to Nick, whose sharp ears twitched violently at the hostile atmosphere. "You have five minutes to leave this place," the buck whispered into his ears and exited the room, bumping into Judy as he did so.

"Dad…" he ignored her calling and walked away. _What have I done…_ she thought as she stole a glance at the dejected fox.

…

…

It took less than a minute to pack all his belongings, and it was a good thing too as his time was quickly coming to an end.

"Torches at the ready!" he heard someone yell from below, it was probably the crazy overprotective father that had a hearty talk with him just a moment ago, the threat didn't instil much fear in Nick as it sounded rather fake, in his opinion, but he didn't want to take his chances; farmers probably kept spare torches in their basements for occasions like this.

"Nick." His attention was drawn back to the bunny who just called for him, her eyes gleamed from the tears that started forming; it broke his heart to see her entire world falling to pieces. "You don't have to do this."

"I do, Judy." He smiled weakly, wishing that he could one day use those words in a completely different circumstance, though that seems highly unlikely after all the events that has taken place. "Tell Bogo I'll be on leave and will return in a week's time, or maybe I wouldn't, we'll see by then."

Judy reached for his paw just before he stepped out from the room. "We'll pull through, I promise. That morning during the Otterton case you stood up for me and helped my fight my demons, now it's my turn to help us fight ours." She gave a reassuring squeeze as Nick nodded in response, _I will return…_ he thought to himself hopefully.

"ARE YOU DONE FOX?" Stu yelled from downstairs, his voice rang through the rooms with such a great volume it could be compared with chief Bogo's.

"I'll get going then." Nick lifted his suitcase and left through the door without any second thoughts, he walked down the stairs and stood face to face with adversary. "I'm ready," He declared confidently.

"Splendid! The train leaves for Zootopia in half an hour, hopefully your feet can get you there in time." Stu's demeanour was that of a victor's; he had won the fight. Nick had already anticipated this and was therefore prepared for the long haul, _you may have won today's battle, but I haven't lost war…_

"Dad! You're not even gonna fetch him there? How co-"

"Judy." Nick cut her off mid-sentence while shaking his head, "it's okay, I'll go." Before Judy could respond Nick had already dashed off into the distance. Judy watched as the patch of orange fur slowly grew smaller and smaller until it completely vanished from her field of vision.

"You may run, you may live, but do not ever forget what we cannot forgive." Stu warned one last time, meaning every word that proceeded from his lips. "C'mon Judy, I need to have a word with you." His anger mellowed down after he was sure the fox has left for good, he made a turn towards the door and went into the house. _I knew it… I knew he would do what he has done… but he… he will return, right?_ tears started flowing freely down her cheeks.


	13. God Help the Outcasts

**#13 God Help the Outcasts - Hunchback of Notre Dame**

"I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even here at all, but here I am and boy do I have a story to tell you…" Nick took a seat on the muddy ground as the heavy rain poured upon him. "It's been a rough morning, so I'll just bring you up to speed and skip all the fine details." The fox recited the day's events in a chronological order, despite him saying he would ignore any fine details, he failed to miss any piece of information about all that had happened; the emotions, the tense atmosphere, the look on Bonnie and Stu's faces, and the look on Judy's... he took a rest from his speech and allowed himself to drift into the memories of all that had occurred:

…

"Predators and prey don't develop feelings for each other…" the words resonated through Nick's mind as the train rapidly decelerated until it came to a stop. Tugging on the now lighter bag, the todd hopped off the carriage and started pacing out of the station, accidentally crashing into several mammals as he did so; he failed to see them heading his direction as he was in deep thought. This resulted in him earning many glares and even more vulgarity from the angry animals.

 _What's with that nasty stare? And did he just cuss at me in wolf?_ He returned an equally irked glare at the passing canine who was oblivious to the fact that Nick understood his every word. In most cases he would just brush it off, but his current state of unrest resulted in him feeling unusually agitated, _if this goes on I might go savage and kill someone…_ slicing through the crowd he made his way for the exit. Upon stepping out of the station, he reached for his pockets to fish out his car keys, but it turns out that the pockets were void of any items; apparently Judy was still holding on to the keys. _Brilliant, just brilliant, could this day get any worse…_ just as he finished a loud clap of thunder boomed through the area which caused the fox to jump in surprise, _typical…_ he thought after composing himself, it was only half pass ten in the morning and so much has already happened, so much of their future has already been determined, so much damage had been done… _no, we will make it through, one way or another…_ he resolved with a small yet undying hope. Reaching for his pockets yet again he searched for his wallet, _maybe I could hire a cab…_ once again, his paws felt nothing but the soft fabric of his slacks. It dawned on him that he had tossed his wallet deep into the heart of his luggage when he was hastily packing. Under normal circumstances he would simply open his bag and hunt for his pouch of cash, but he felt exhausted, physically and emotionally, so he quickly gave in to his misfortunes. _What's another 2 hours' worth of walking anyway?_ He then began his journey home on foot.

…

"Of course, not a lot of things took place after I reached Zootopia, and I'm glad too coz I've had enough of drama for one day," he chuckled lightly, "but I can't help but wonder why… why every turn I take, every move I make, I would somehow hurt someone..." he started to weep, but it wasn't visible as the rain washed his tears away as soon it rolled down his cheeks. "Would someone tell me where I went wrong? I turned away from my filthy past as a conman, I've repented for my sins and now I work as a cop to uphold the law, and yet… all of those I love, their all gone…" the rain became heavier as the emotions welled up within the fragile heart of the vulpine, the undying hope he once had started to diminish as he reflected on this morning's incident. _I would've done everything so differently, I would've stayed in Bunnyburrow and maybe, just maybe, things would have been better than what it is now. But sadly, I can't turn back the time…_ He thought for a moment in silence. "I can't be with the love of my life all because I'm a fox. Is there really no way to rid the social stigmas that our species carries!? Is there really no way to be free from this curse!?" Nick shouted in anger hoping for an answer.

But only silence pursued.

"Is there really no way out from this dark place… mom?" the fox asked earnestly while choking on his emotions. "And I wonder, many years ago when you still walked on this Earth, were you once an outcast too?" the rain continued to pour as the fox leaned on the stump of the fallen tree.

…

…

"Would ya pipe down over there!" a male bunny shouted, probably Michael from the second litter, at the constant and loud banging noise. Taking a peek out from his room into the adjacent room, he sees Judy pounding her rock hard knuckles on the bare wall. "Judy…"

"Once mom and dad come back, tell them I'll call them once I calm down," Judy seemingly spoke to no one in particular, but Michael got the hint. "I need some time for myself, so I'll be on my way then…"

"You're leaving now? Wait Judy!" the doe got up from her kneeling position in front of her bag and slowly turned to face the young buck. "I really shouldn't tell you this, but they have something planned for you, some sort of surprise lunch or something. Please stay, at least until after the meal," he urged, but Judy denied his request and continued packing her belongings. "They want to make it up to you after what had happened this morning," Michael explained, finally getting Judy's attention, "I…kinda overheard the entire thing…" the rabbit sheepishly admitted.

"Oh…" Judy said slightly surprised, "we _were_ quite loud." She shrugged her shoulders and forced a giggle to ease the embarrassment, "but if mom and dad really want to come to good terms they should do it face to face with both Nick and I." She picked up her luggage and walked to the door. "Tell them to save the feast, I'll be back soon, hopefully with Nick by my side…" _but what if Nick isn't there when I get home…_ a small tear threatened to fall, but she began to chuckle when she felt a sharp object in the side pocket of her jeans. "Heh heh, that old dummy forgot the car keys so he couldn't have gone far, maybe I'll find him after all…"she thought out loud.

"In this rain, you're not going to get very far either…" Michael moved towards Judy and, to her surprise, placed a paw on her shoulder. "Let me drive you to the station."

It was a touching moment for Judy, despite the situation she was in her family still loved her, it brought her renewed strength and reassurance that all will be well. "Thank you, Mike," she leaped towards him and threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"It's the least I could do. Plus, don't tell mom and dad this, but I support your decision to make that fox your lifelong companion, you guys make a very cute couple."

"Heh heh, thanks," she found herself blushing deeply at the buck's comment, _at least someone agrees with me…_ maybe everything will turn out right after all.

…

…

 _It's been almost five hours and nothing has changed, the downpour still persists, my dreams and hopes are still crushed, and my heart is absolutely broken, great..._ Nick thought with utmost sarcasm, he would be lying if he said it didn't hurt when Stu had thrown those insults at him, it was so terrible to the extent it still remained in his mind repeating itself like a broken record. " _You're no different from the rest of those… those vermin…"_ in that moment he felt like he was pierced with a spear, how could one have so much prejudice against another kind? _Then again, they are overprotective parents, if I were them I would have kicked myself out too…_ he rationalised to the best of his abilities, _what if we did it this way…_ Nick had been in deep thought for several hours thinking about why Judy's parents took such drastic measures and how he could resolve this sensitive issue, but all the brainstorming and sobbing had been in vain, though he did feel slightly better now; the pounding of heavy raindrops against his fur did help soothe his unrest mind, why it did so was beyond his comprehension. With a sigh he straightened his posture and returned to his contemplation.

 _What do I want to achieve after all this hassle?_ He thought he'd begin with that simple thought. "I don't ask for wealth, I don't ask for fame; surely not glory, I don't need all those things…" He started to ponder, but needless to say, he already knows the goal of all his actions. "What I ask for is love, a love where no one will protest. What I want from mister and misses Hopps? Their blessings." In that instance he felt relieved. "That is what I want; for Judy to be happy… if that means I have to leave her, so be it."

"NICK!" the fox snapped towards the shout of a familiar voice, the voice of the one he truly loved; Judy. "You'll get ill sitting here in the rain, and I think your brain's getting a little fried too." She stepped towards him and pulled him down by his tie.

"Judy…"

"I'll just imagine I never heard those words slip from your muzzle, so let's get going."

"But Judy, your parents they-"

"It doesn't matter what they say, if I listened to every single one of their commands I would still be a carrot farming dumb bunny," she smiled warmly at the distressed vulpine, "let's go home…" and with that they left the woods in each other's embrace, tough times were bound to come their way, but at least they had each other…


	14. Love Will Find a Way

**Love Will Find a Way - Lion King II**

"Nick…" a soft whisper called out from his side, he had unknowingly dozed off several moments ago; the cognitive overload and mental exhaustion probably numbed his senses until he was sound asleep in a comatose state. Slowly turning his head to the adjacent rabbit, sad teary eyes met his gleaming pair, a melancholic vibe resonated around her instead of her usual bouncy demeanour.

"What's wrong Judy?" despite his woozy head Nick was sufficiently sober to tell something had deeply concerned his favourite bunny, he straightened up on his seat and leaned towards Judy to examine her. As Nick got closer, Judy's gaze darted around the interior of the car; the compassion and affection she saw in Nick was overwhelming so much so that if she were to make any eye contact with him now she would burst out in tears, not tears of joy, but tears from the grief of knowing she could lose him forever. "What's the matter?" he asked innocently, oblivious to the raging battles within her head.

She let out a sigh before locking her gaze with his and with all the remaining strength she had left, she spoke in a shaky tone, "That's… that's exactly what I want to ask you." Her ears drooped further down. "You've been whimpering and shifting about ever since you fell asleep…" he could see the loving care behind those shining eyes of hers, but she wasn't wrong, he did have some unpleasant dreams during his brief nap. "…I'm just worried for you Nick, it must have been so painful when you had to face my dad, I'm… I'm so sor-" Judy jolted up from her seat as tender lips met with her own, if it weren't for her seatbelt tying her down she would've shot out from the car. At that instant, the moment when their muzzled locked and their paws intertwined, waves of excitement pulsed through her veins as a shiver travelled down her spine, it felt so refreshing. However, her doubts returned as quickly as they left, the thought that these moments with Nick could be their very last moments together, the thought of living without him by her side, all these nightmares suddenly appeared so real.

Nick broke off, much to Judy's dismay, when he noticed the light had turned green several minutes ago. "Pull over Carrots, I think I'll take it from here. Oh, one more thing…" using his padded paw he gently lifted Judy's chin, she was in a daze as his eyes met hers once again. "Don't let whatever happened this morning get to you, even if we can't become mates, I'll still be here whenever you need me… Now pull over before you ram into a tree." She obediently obliged to Nick's orders and stopped the car on the side of the street. The rest of the journey home, with Nick on the wheel, was a rather tranquil one.

"Nick?"

"Yeah Carrots?"

"Those surprise kisses you pull off… I could really get used to it." The fox smirked amusingly.

* * *

Golden rays of sunlight reflected off the calm surface of the pond as two shadowy figures leaned on the sturdy handle of the bridge, there weren't many mammals in the park this evenings, it was as peaceful as the last time they visited this very bridge. Nick could remember that very day before he was officially a crime scene investigator; the warmth of the sun beating against his fur, the beautiful scenery that they beheld, and of course the look on Judy's eyes when it seemingly glowed with vibrant lavender, all those memories flooded his thoughts as the scene replayed itself before him once more.

"It's gorgeous." The bunny commented as she leaned onto his shoulder, her gaze remained fixated on the amber skies. She soon broke from her trance as the fox beside her failed to provide a response, taking a glance at him she could see he was, yet again, in deep thought, but something seemed different, his emerald hues didn't have its usual gleam but instead appeared dull and lifeless. "Nick…" Though his outward persona portrayed him as a calm and collected individual, his downcast eyes and flattened ears were clear indicators of his unrest mind.

"Have you ever experienced the feeling when your world is slowly crumbling away but you're completely blind to it, then out of the blue something happens, a significant event takes place and everything becomes clear to you?" the rabbit listened attentively as he continued, "Well I do now."

"I understand you had it rough this morning, but don't worry you big dummy, everything will turn out well!" Judy said in a hopeful manner.

"Yeah I know, I know, but that's beside the point. Do you remember the place I brought you after our first dinner with Shell?" the doe nodded in response.

"Yeah, the clearing I found you in just couple hours ago." She said eliciting a nervous chuckle from Nick.

"When you were there at the clearing, did anything seemed, I dunno, strange or out of place?" Judy quickly gathered all the memories of the area which, quite honestly, wasn't a lot.

"Well, it was raining, the pond as slightly flooded, leaves and twigs were everywhere, you were leaning against a stump…" _Sweet cheese crackers…_ "Oh my gosh, Nick you were leaning against a stump…"

"That's right Judy; the tree fell." The fox sadly muttered. "The tree, the one that stood tall in tribute for my mother, has fallen." If any other mammal were to walk in to their emotionally tense conversation they would have brushed this off as a small issue that isn't even worth the discussion, after all it's just a tree, right? But to Nick that tree meant the world to him; it represented the one that loved him deeply despite all his faults, it represented the unconditional love she showed towards him, it acted as a strong foundation that he can lean on for comfort and strength, it acted as a reminder that he isn't walking this journey of life alone; and now, it is gone. "It fell, Judy, what does that mean? I don't even know what it means but the point is it fell Judy!" he was on the verge of tears, why that is so even he doesn't know. Judy didn't know how she could ever calm him down, so all she did was brought him into a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry Nick." She whispered into his ear as he wept bitterly, she felt so helpless being unable to console him, _if only there is something I could do… maybe there is…_ she thought for a moment before letting Nick out from her grasp. "C'mon, let's get going." And so they got into their car and left. The ride from the park to their apartment was, ideally, a short one, but it felt like an eternity has already passed since they left the bridge.

"Hate to break it to you Judy, but you missed the turn, again." The exhausted fox voiced out after seeing Judy drive pass a traffic light instead of taking a right turn. She cringed.

"Ah, right. We'll get home later than expected…" she replied sheepishly. "Why don't you get some sleep first; I'll figure out how to get back from here."

"Uh, I don't think so, we might end up stuck in the middle of nowhere if you continue. Pull over I'll-"

"Nick." She sternly called. "Rest."

"… alright Cottontail, but don't hesitate to wake me up if you need any directions, we foxes are better at navigating than you bunnies." He teased before sinking into the cushioned seat, _some shut eye doesn't sound too bad…_

"Oh har har, hilarious." Silence soon returned to the car as it drove down the lonely road, _everything is as planned…_ Turning to check on the fox, she made sure his eyes were tightly sealed before stepping on the accelerator and rushing straight for the woods. The car jerked violently above the rough terrain, Judy tried her best to control the shaking to prevent waking Nick, but the rocking motions were virtually inevitable. The fox, however, didn't even shift throughout the whole trip, he slept like a log, to Judy's relief. She let out a sigh as she reached her destination.

"Nick… Nick wake up. "the rabbit prodded the snoring fox as she brought the car to a stop, seeing that he failed to respond to her calling, she decided to take this time to truly appreciate and admire the dozing fox; how could someone who was once, many centuries ago, a savage hunting, killing machine turn to this gentle and kind creature? The smile across his muzzle was the frosting on the cake, he looked so adorable sitting beside her, how does years of evolution bring about such drastic changes? She could only wonder.

"Judy…" the todd spoke while he dreamed, this caused the bunny to burst out giggling, _he's dreaming about me, how cute is that!_ Sadly, even the sun sets in paradise; she has no choice but to break him from the illusions of his dreams and bring him back to reality.

"Nick!" she shouted as Nick shot up from his seat.

"AH! NO JUDY!" he pounced towards the doe and wrapped himself around her, Judy yelped at his sudden actions. "You're here… you're still here, good, good…" she was slightly taken aback, but it soon dawned on her that he had had a nightmare about losing the love of his life, _that would be me…_ the bunny thought as she chuckled.

"Don't worry, everything's fine now." She patted the tuff of fur on his head.

They soon broke from their hug when Nick noticed the dark environment they were in, the headlights were the only source of light that illuminated the surrounding, besides the gleaming yellow orb that hung from the dark sky, the moon, that is. The air felt damp and heavy like a cloud that has descended from the sky, the fragrance that the wind carried smelled of leaves and rain, he quickly concluded that this place doesn't resemble their apartment in the slightest. "Oh gosh Carrots, you got lost didn't you?" he yelled in a tone that seemed new to Judy, it wasn't his typical sarcastic tone nor was it his enraged voice, it was a tone that bordered between playful and spiteful.

"On the contrary, I know exactly where we are. Don't you?" the vulpine looked at Judy in the eye before taking a glimpse of his surroundings. "Oh…" he stepped out from the car and paced towards the still waters of the pond that stood alone in the centre of the clearing. "Carrots, why are we here?" he questioned as Judy left the car and caught up with him.

"We're here…" she gently led the fox, by his paw, to the stump that was next to the water, "to fix that." She pointed at the fallen tree that was half submerged in the shallow pool, several of its branches protruded from the water while dozens of its leaves covered the pond, effectively blocking the dim moonlight from reaching the water surface. "Well, it's not just today, we'll come here more often so we can restore this place to its former glory." She panned her arms across the disorderly area.

"Judy…"

"But we won't be staying here for long today, I just needed to do this…" Judy reached into her pocket and crouched beside the stump. "This is for you Mrs Wilde." She dropped a seed on the moist soil. "I hope you like it, and…" she stood up from her squatting positions, walked towards Nick and locked her arm with his, "thank you for bringing up such a wonderful son, you've done a great job." The fox began to tear.

"I… I can't believe that you'd do this for me, for mom. Thank you Judy." He brought Judy into his embrace and kissed her forehead multiple times. "I was so afraid that it was really the end between us, I was so afraid that I'll have to leave you for good, but now, now I realise that love, love that is pure and true, is never wrong and so will never die. Even if the world turns against us, Judy, I will be there for you. I may not be brave or strong, but we, the both of us together Judy, we'll be able to conquer every mountain that comes our way, as long as we have each other." The fox proclaimed in confidence.

"I'll take it that this is your confession to me?" the doe teased playfully as she gazed affectionately into Nick's emerald eyes.

"Yes, yes you may." The couple shared a long passionate kiss before finally leaving for home.

* * *

An arm around the fox,

A quick peck on his cheek.

Nuzzling into his fur,

His knees slowly grew weak.

* * *

Licking her short snout,

And then her grey fur;

The patch on her left cheek,

Where three claw marks once were.

* * *

Drowning in the fox's gaze,

Those emerald pools of his,

She eyed his dark twitching nose,

And planted another kiss.

* * *

Wagging his bushy tail,

He stroked both her ears.

All her worries subsided,

Gone are all her fears.

* * *

Grazing her blunt paws

Through his thick cream fur,

Softly and gently she soothed,

Earning from him a purr.

* * *

He returned the favour

By twirling her small tail.

But all she did was giggle,

Squirm about and flail.

* * *

She couldn't hold herself further,

She kissed all around his face.

He'd rather be right here

Than any other place.

* * *

A kiss on her forehead,

And another on her lips.

An arm behind her back,

An arm around her hips.

* * *

They were really close now,

And you know what happens next.

They cuddled even closer,

And then they had…

* * *

…snacks.

* * *

They were enjoying a late supper,

But the fox wanted some fun.

He began hurling food at the rabbit,

Starting with a bun.

* * *

Bread crumbs in the bowl

Now scatter over the floor.

Soon popcorn flew across her sight;

The fox has declared war.

* * *

With the berries in his paws,

The ones he used to snack,

He planned his course of action,

His perfect surprise attack.

* * *

She ducked behind the sofa,

But wasn't about to flee.

Dodging the incoming fruits,

She proved she's one quick bunny.

* * *

Watching the rabbit run away,

He quickly withdrawn.

Beaming with a victorious grin,

He thought he had won.

* * *

Then from the side she pounced on him,

Causing him to yelp.

Wrestling the fox with all her might,

He cried out for help.

* * *

Panting vigorously in exhaustion,

Their battle came to a halt.

Never did he think a bunny like Judy

Could make such an assault.

* * *

Glancing at the floor

And all the mess they made,

Judy was absolutely speechless,

All she could say was: "Well played."

* * *

But it didn't end there,

As Nick dragged her back down.

She played along contently,

feeling the love abound.

* * *

There they laid on the couch,

Cheerful as they play;

What a perfect ending

To yet another day.

* * *

After all that they have been through,

Well, what can they say?

Deep down they always knew,

Love will find a way…

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **Sorry about all the lines, I wasn't too sure how to separate the stanzas, I tried leaving a gap between each one but it somehow merged back together :/**

 **Anyway, what do you think of the poem? Good? So-so? well leave your comments and have a good week! :D**


	15. Two Worlds

**#15 Two Worlds - Tarzan**

The rich and the poor, the righteous and the outlaws, predators and prey; when two worlds collide havoc is almost certain to pursue, unless a mediator is present to bring balance to both realms; one who was once in deep poverty but now, by the work of his own hands, gain wealth and prestige; someone who once committed felonies and now, by his sheer willpower to change into an upright citizen, uphold the law and enforce it diligently; one who was once brought to his lowest of lows and now, through his constant undying determination, stand in confidence wherever he is; someone… _like me…_ Nick thought after the long monologue he had in his head. _That was beautiful somebody give me an award or something…_ a prideful grin hung over his muzzle.

"Wilde! Am I understood?" a familiar, maybe too familiar, voice boomed from in front of him, he was quick to associate the deep and authoritative voice with a certain cape buffalo who so happens to be the chief of the precinct. He snapped out from his thoughts as he looked around chief Bogo's office to see that he was the only one, apart from the burly bovine, in the room; he had hoped that Judy was there beside him because, quite honestly, he lost Bogo the minute he began is long winded speech.

"I'm sorry chief I drifted off a little, could you repeat that again?" Nick asked cautiously while reading the larger mammals face in search of any hints of annoyance, and he found plenty.

Bogo let out a sigh and brought his right hoof over his face, "you're impossible Wilde… where did I lose you?"

"The part about criminals, and the slums, and the favelas, and-"

"That was at the very beginning haven't you been listening for the past half hour!?" he yelled in a breath as he rubbed the bridge of his snout to ease the throbbing headache. "Whatever, not like I care. Point is, you'll be handling this case," the buffalo tossed a thin case file at Nick as he received it from mid-air without breaking a sweat, "I want you to bring Shell with you to the field, and leave Hopps out of the equation."

"Oh c'mon, why are people so against me and Carrots being together? First her parents and now you!" he pointed accusingly at the chief as he whined, earning himself a truly intimidating and cringe worthy glare.

"Is there something you would like to share about you and Hopps?" the fox shied away at chief Bogo's question. "You know the rules very well Wilde; no inter-colleague relationships or one of the two of you will get the boot. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal clear," he gulped nervously.

"Splendid, now get out; I've got work to do." And with that the vulpine ran out from the room, just to return several moments later to retrieve the folder he forgot to bring with him. _Hopps and Wilde_ … Bogo brought his hooves to support his hefty chin as he thought, _it has finally begun_ …

…

…

"What do you mean no? Bogo has given the order so you have no choice- don't turn your back on me like that. Shell!" the fox ran after the wolf that had just retreated back to his safe haven; his laboratory. "Face it, it was only a matter of time before you get dragged into the field." Nick pushed the glass door open and cornered the escaping wolf. "I mean it can't be that bad, it's just a crime scene, we just need to collect the evidence and we'll be back in no time." He used his most persuasive tone but even that proved to be fruitless, intimidation was his last resort. "Give it up buddy, you've got nowhere else to run!" He stretched his arms out to prevent the canine from fleeing.

"Oh contra," Shell said nonchalantly with a smirk. Nick lunged at the mammal before him just to find himself face planted on the floor moments later, Shell's figure soon faded before his eyes as he gasped in disbelief. "I've been working on improving those beauties." Shell, from outside the room, panned at the projectors that were placed at seemingly random areas on the desk, "And I've finally found a good use for them; hustling old hustlers." He finished before locking the door and heading for the cafeteria.

"Wait no Shell, Shell!" the todd screamed in defeat, "darn holograms!" he threatened to kick the projectors off the table, but seeing that they appeared to be very expensive and repurchasing them may possibly drive both him and Judy into destitution, he thought otherwise. _Hustling old hustlers huh? Just you wait, once I get my paws on you_ … he thought evilly as he began to pick the lock on the door. _Gotcha_ … he dropped the pin that was in his grasp and dashed off to the lobby.

"Clawhauser… Shell… where?" the fox grunted between breaths at the oversized cheetah that was seated at the centre of the hall.

"Nick! Haven't seen you in a couple of days, how are ya?"

"Where is Shell!?" he demanded an answer and sent a glare at the chubby feline, he was slightly, if not really, agitated at the moment. "Where. Is. Shell?" he said again, this time much slower to emphasise his words.

Clawhauser withdrew his paws from the desk and replied in a short and simple manner, "Cafeteria." He was about to further elaborate his statement when he began coughing vigorously; the doughnut that was still in his mouth had accidentally slipped down his oesophagus, but he managed to recover from the painful choking after several forceful coughs.

"Thanks Ben, and be careful with those, they might just get you killed." Nick, now not as enraged as before, pointed at the box of pastries sitting idly on the counter before leaving for the cafeteria. _When I get my paws on him_ … The fox slammed the doors to the cafeteria open and paced towards the oblivious wolf who was seated, with his back against Nick, alone on one of the benches.

"Hey bud." Shell turned to see who had called but as soon as he looked behind him, a quick bolt of tangerine flashed by him and in an instant he found himself bounded to steel cuffs. "So how does it feel to be locked up? Sad that, unlike me, you don't know how to pick locks." Nick teased as he tossed the keys into the air and allowed it to fall back into his open paw. The wolf growled dangerously at the smirking fox before throwing himself towards him and violently snapping his jaws.

"Woah buddy relax- OW!" the vulpine pushed off the wolf that had just bitten his arm. "What was that for!?" he exclaimed more in shock than anything else as Shell squirmed about on the floor like a worm.

"Get it off, get it off, get it off!" he repeatedly said while attempting to break free from the cuffs, however his paws were too big to slip through the small holes of the metal bind.

"Alright I'll get them off, but promise you wouldn't make a fuss about going into the field and promise you'll never EVER bite me again!" Nick scolded the younger canine who nodded gently at his words. Slipping the key into the keyhole and removing the cuffs proved to be easier as the once aggressive wolf had become calm and cooperative, Nick supported Shell as he got up from the floor.

"Heh heh, sorry for causing a scene," he said, embarrassed as they noticed several officers eyeing them with judgementally. One in particular, officer McHorn, shook his head disapprovingly before turning back to finish his meal. "That wasn't the best response now was it?" the wolf asked rhetorically.

"Ya think?" Nick rubbed on the spot of his arm where Shell's teeth sank into, fortunately for both him and the said wolf it didn't penetrate his skin, though it still hurt nonetheless. "Try rational argument next time before resorting to savagery." The wolf remained silent in guilt as the duo left for their office.

"What have we got?" Shell, while flipping through the case files Nick had tossed on his table, said. He was quick to notice that the files were rather empty and lacking of details, only pictures of the victim and photos of potential suspects occupied the pages of the folder. "That's all? No murder weapon? No CoD? No eye witnesses? No evidence?"

"That's what we're here for Shell; we'll be the ones filling the holes in this case, in case you haven't noticed." He waved the file over his head and stood up from his seat. "Life on the field's not as easy as in the lab." He flung the folder at the table and paced around the room. "So…" he assumed his thinking pose and began, "four victims, all males, all in their late 40s, found lifeless in secluded slums."

"Any other similarities between the victims? Any connections? Anything that may give the murderer a motive?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?" he tossed yet another file as Shell who received it successfully.

"That's about it huh…" the wolf said disappointingly. "What now?"

"Go search the scene for evidence, look for witnesses, interrogate suspects, connect all the scattered dots, wow you're a real clueless one aren't you?" Nick said sarcastically.

"Well, what can I say? I'm just a nerd locked up and surrounded by my science equipment, what would I know about life on the field?" Shell shrugged his shoulders and placed his paws on the hips.

"Hopefully after today, plenty." They eyed each other and got up from their seats, "Shall we begin?"

…

…

Screeching sounds came from the tires as they came to a rapid stop, the crime fighting duo have finally arrived at the scene of the crime; a dark and creepy alley of a lesser known town the locals call 'Happytown', lesser known to most mammals that is, but not to Nick who, if you haven't figured it out, isn't your typical Zootopian citizen; he knew Happytown like the back of his paw, though he wished this wasn't so.

"Happytown…" the fox murmured while glancing at the faded, worn out signboard, "Memories of my youth, all messed up and broken." He covered his face with a paw in shame as Shell walked up to him from the car.

"Youth? Long long time ago before you decided to run away and hustle for a living?" he teased while passing a toolbox to Nick, the fox snatched the box from the wolf and snarled.

"Wow great, add salt to the wound why don't ya." The wolf smirked playfully.

"Gonna visit your folks after this?"

"… we're here for official ZPD business, let's not let our personal life affairs jeopardise our job." Nick replied seriously, wishing that Shell would drop the subject of his parents entirely.

"So that's a no? Gee why don't you just say so. I guess grumpy and snarky behaviours comes with age." The fox shook his head and went his way into the alley, Shell chuckled lightly and before tailing his companion into the dark street.

"Fill me in Grizolli," Nick spoke to a white furred wolf who was dressed in his uniform. Upon hearing Nick's calling he ducked under the police tape and joined with the fox.

"Hey guys!" he addressed before turning back to glance at the area enclosed in yellow tape, "Two victims were found dead in this area, one here and another there." He gestured at the exact locations where the body was found, "they were just brought for autopsy, but from what I saw they most likely died from fire."

"Fire?" the duo said in unison, both surprised at the unexpected findings.

"These are just assumptions, but I think it's highly likely; when the victims were recovered their fur appeared to have been burned off and their skin was exposed, not only that they were covered in countless blisters. From these observations I think they could have died in a fire." Grizolli concluded and turned back to the fox. "However there isn't any signs of any fire in Happytown for the past few weeks, so either the theory is completely wrong or the fire was very well controlled, that's for you to find out. Oh, and I also got you'll coffee, thought you'd need the extra energy to crack this case." He dashed off to his cruiser and returned with two cups, one with iced Americano for the fox and another with Latte for the other wolf.

"Ah, thanks a bunch. My faith in wolf kind has been restored." Nick smiled warmly at Grizolli who returned the gesture with a wink. "If that is all we'll take it from here then." He sipped from his cup of joe before entering the crime scene to undergo further evaluation, the two wolves shared several high fives and fist bumps before Grizolli left for the cruiser and Shell for Nick. "Step one," the fox said as Shell hopped over the police tape, "view the scene before touching anything, this allows us to evaluate the area without interfering with it. "

"That sounds so textbook-y, what page can I find that in?" he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the area with his pair of keen eyes.

"The textbooks are useless; experience is the best source of knowledge," the fox said in an attempt to sound sophisticated, it seemed to have worked as Shell marvelled at his wise words. "Let's begin." Nick dropped the toolbox and flipped the clips open, uv flashlights, cotton swabs and many other equipment was arranged neatly within the box, the fox picked up a flashlight and passed it to the adjacent wolf. "Search," he instructed as the wolf began his hunt for evidence. They searched every corner of the alley for any paw prints or blood stains but ultimately found none, blood wasn't shed, so we can exclude firearm or any stabbing... however there was a peculiar object placed just a few centimetres away from the body, it was...

"Dice?" Shell picked up the small cube with tweezers and dropped it into a transparent air lock bag. "What's that supposed to be? Murder weapon?" he asked, clearly confused at this point of time.

 _How do you even kill another with a die? Wait._.. "No not a weapon, a message; die." There was a silence after the revelation, a horrific atmosphere filled the alley as they glanced at the token.

"Wow, that's dark." They gently slid the die into a bag containing all their found evidence and continued with their search. Hours seemingly passed before their continuous searching came to a halt, unfortunately the subsequent hours after the discovery of the die was fruitless, this was, apparently, the perfect crime.

"This is pointless, nothing's here at all," the fox complained as his patience grew thin, exhaustion crept through his entire being as the duo took a quick breather. "We'll need to talk to the people around here. Why don't you send the evidence back to the precinct, I'll stick around to see if we have any witnesses." The wolf nodded in agreement, retrieved the bag of evidence and left, with the car shared between himself and Nick, for the ZPD.

As soon as his mentee left, the fox stepped away from the crime scene to get some fresh air, _Happytown_... he ducked under the tape and paced around the alley. _Urbanised slum full of outlaws and criminals as well as beggars and other desperate mammals_... he walked out from the dark path and emerged into the light as he assessed the current state of the town. _Still as dusty as before_... he threaded the sand beneath him with his hind feet, _still dead of any activities_... he looked about to find any signs of life but found none around the area. _Just the way it has always been_... memories of that day resurfaced once again; the hurt he felt, the hurt he inflicted, it was unbearable to relive those moments, but they still torment him day and night as a ghost mercilessly haunting him. The pain, the guilt, the sorrow he felt never left him since the day he left his family, it never left him until... _Judy_... a certain bunny entered his life. _Who knew a popsicle hustle will lead me to where I am now_... he smiled at that comforting thought. As he reflected upon all that he has been through, something showed up from the corner of Nick's eye, someone to be more precise; a swine, in ragged clothes with many holes scattered across the fabric, had crawled towards the fox from where she was seated. She appeared to be very weak, possibly from malnourishment, as her body structure was comparable to a stick and her face was disfigured.

"Ma'am," Nick approached the pig and kneeled before her so that they were at eye level, "here," He offered his warm cup of coffee as she gulped it down almost instantly. "Have you seen or heard anything weird these few days? Maybe even seen a fire burning sometime?" the vulpine asked in hope of some answers. The swine nodded.

"I was there..." her eyes became teary as his grew wide.

"Grizzolli, GRIZOLLI!" the wolf, who was still in the dark alley, turned to see the fox who had called. "Grab the cruiser and get over here; we have a survivor!"

…

…

"Take your time ma'am, our police are here too tend to your every need so don't be shy to call them for assistance." The brown furred wolf reassured the frantic pig as she brought her cup of water to her lips with shaking paws. She took a sip of the drink and replaced it back on the table.

"It happened about a few days ago, maybe a week or so, I can't really remember..." the swine shook her head nervously in distress, it took a few more minutes of reassurance from Shell before she calmed down to the point she was able to think straight. "I remember a bright light, everything suddenly felt so warm, my heart was pounding so quickly I- I- I-" she begin hyperventilating from recalling the traumatic experience, the wolf got up, made his way to her side and simply brought her into his embrace; she calmed down immediately.

"Take your time dear, take your time..." he soothed the trembling mammal as she regained her composure.

"Thank you..." she muttered with a weak smile, "I was blindfolded, I couldn't see who had me all tied up, but I do remember seeing bright flames." She confessed without staggering like she did before.

"All tied up? Do you have any clue what they tied you up with?" Shell jotted down some notes on a piece of paper as the interview progressed.

"I'm not too sure but it felt really sharp, almost as prickly as a cactus, if that makes any sense." She chuckled and took another sip of water.

"No no it makes absolutely perfect sense," the wolf reassured once more, "excuse me for a second." He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket as he stepped out from the room, glancing at the screen he sees a picture of a red fox displayed on the phone's surface with the words 'Old Hustler' on the centre of the screen, the canine pressed on the answer button and brought the phone to his right ear. "Hello."

"Go to our cruiser now, another body has been spotted." _Another one!?_ He dashed out from the building and went straight for the vehicle. "We have no time to lose," Nick said as the wolf jumped into the car and sped off for the Rainforest district.

"Y'know what, this doesn't make sense," the wolf voiced out as the fox remained focused on the road, "how can a second degree burn kill? Third degree burns can damage nerve tissues and kill an individual, but a second degree burn? I don't think so."

"We'll see about that soon enough." The car skidded to a stop as the canine duo leapt out from the cruiser, they found themselves in a rather remote region of the rainforest with a suspicious looking house several feet away from where they stood.

"You sure this is the right place?" the wolf questioned.

"This is where the GPS led us, so I guess this is it." The looked at each other then at the house before retrieving their stun guns from the hoisters on their belt. "Stay with me," the vulpine instructed as they neared the spooky house. Opening the door proved to be an easy task as it collapsed instantly with one kick on its surface, either the door was really weak and broken or Nick had very strong legs, the fox wished it was the latter. Darting their gaze around the empty room, they checked the house for any forms of life. "Go check behind that door Shell. Shell?" Nick turned around to see that the wolf had disappeared from his sight. "Shell! Where are you?" he whispered loudly as he searched for his canine friend, unbeknown to him was the figure that lurked in the shadows.

"Hi there!" he turned to the voice. *Bang* He blacked out.

…

…

"Whe... Where am I?" Nick, recovering from the concussion, finally came to just to find himself strapped tightly to a chair, suddenly came from the shadow a figure; a figure that seemed familiar to Nick, a figure of... a red fox. "Vivi?" his jaw fell as he stared at the vixen before him.

"Long time no see... Nicky." She grinned from ear to ear.


	16. Girl Worth Fighting For

**#16 Girl Worth Fighting For - Mulan**

"Long time no see... Nicky," she grinned widely and stepped out from the shadows where she once hid, "it's been a loooong loooong time since we last met and I've got to say, you look even more attractive than before." She brought a paw to his muzzle and stroked it gently, but Nick didn't move a muscle; the shock from the unexpected twist of events have left him momentarily paralysed.

"Vi..."

"Ah yes, that is how you've always addressed me, please call me Vixy instead, unless of course, you want to come back to me and return to our blissful past." Her eyes shone maliciously from the dim light that hung over Nick's head, the scarlet hues portrayed both hurt from the betrayal she experienced ages ago as well as the wishful longing to fill the emptiness in her heart.

"I'm sorry Vi, like I said that very evening; I'm done," the vulpine spoke as soon as the numbness started fading away, "on a more relevant note, why on Earth am I all tied up to this chair and what in the world are you trying to achieve frOM KIDNAPPING AN OFFICER!?" he yelled from the top of his lungs, the vixen took a step back to avoid several small splatters of saliva that left the vulpine's mouth.

"Oh, an officer you say? Are you sure? I'm sure I captured a low-life popsicle scam artist, no?" she quipped in an offensive manner, fully aware that her words had pierced her prey right at his Achilles heel.

Nick twitched his nose slightly as he lowered his perked ears and flashed his sharp fangs, the pounding on his chest intensified as he began to feel uncomfortably warm under his uniform, _what's wrong with me..._ he questioned, not knowing why he was having such a reaction.

"What's the matter foxy? Silenced by the great magnitude of the truth?"

"SHUT YOUR TRAP!" he lashed out causing a series of echoes to resonate through the quiet room. He breathed deeply through his nostrils in hopes of calming himself down; it didn't work. "All that is behind me now, I've become an officer who actually abides the law so if you don't release me this instant I swear you'll be spending the rest of the days of your miserable life rotting behind a cell! Do I make myself clear, dear?" he managed to mutter while panting rapidly. _It's working..._ Vivi thought after watching the fox perspire heavily.

"Have I mentioned that, now you're with the good guys and all, you look ever so stunning!" Vivi clasped her paws together and sighed in admiration, "You're one handsome fellow." Her voice was as sweet as sugar coated honey sticks, though to Nick they just seemed like sticks, sharp pointy sticks with its end dipped in poison that were hurled at him as he sat helplessly bounded to the chair.

"YOU WORTHLESS SHAMELESS VIXEN-"

"Would you come back to me?" the vixen finally said, the fox's anger dampened as he grew silent. "We'll make a great team Nick, and we'll make a happy, lovely couple! All the time we spent together, all the memories and promises we made, don't they mean anything to you?" A tear formed on the corner of her eye, Nick figured they were mere crocodile tears and decided against comforting the vixen, though that proved to be difficult as his soft heart couldn't bear to see the sad look plastered over her face. "Come with me, please..." she hovered her paw an inch away from Nick's muzzle, hoping in her heart that he would kiss her paw and fill the void within her heart, the void that no other mammal could inhabit, the void that Nick and only Nick could fill and finally make her whole. He turned away and sighed.

"No Vivi," he said with down casted eyes as he tried his best to ignore the intense heat that he felt against his fur. "No... Vi... seriously, what did you do to me?" he snapped at the vixen and glared. "It's burning so badly, everything is so hot Vixy WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?" his heart seemingly slammed against his chest as he struggled above the chair. Vivi wiped off her tear and chuckled.

"Apart from mess with your head and heart like how you did many years ago, nothing much really. Though, if it really is burning under your coat, you can always..." she took a step closer to Nick, "... take it all off..." she grinned devilishly at Nick, who's eyes had dilated so badly his green irises can no longer be seen, as she started undoing the first button of his uniform, "that's... an option."

"Okay Vixy, time out," a voice came from the darkness grabbing the attention of both foxes, "I think you've had enough fun for one day." To Nick's surprise several more canines emerged from various shaded areas around the room, they got closer towards the light as their panicking hostage began to gasp for air.

"Vi, who are these people?" he whispered loudly as his gaze darted over the canines around the room, "who are you guys and what have you done to me? Would someone just tell me what's going on!?" Nick begged while trying to keep his composure.

"We're here to offer you a deal," a fox from the group spoke, a grey fox as Nick has successfully identified, "we're offering you a place in our family," she panned a paw across the canines that filled the room, Nick followed the moving arm and saw seven other canines, apart from the grey fox before him, Vixy, and himself, standing idly behind the seat he was on. _They're not saying anything? They play passive roles, so this vixen is the alpha_... Nick concluded from his observation. "Will you join us in bringing justice to this fallen world? Would you be our partner?" _partner...partner!_

"Where's Shell? WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!?" he was on the verge of completely breaking down as so many things hit him all at once; first the kidnapping, then the reunion with his ex, and now the knowledge that Shell is nowhere to be found, _could things get any worse..._ he thought, _of course it could..._

"This is getting nowhere; I say we bail." Vivi turned away and walked out of the room, the other canines followed her and left, leaving the grey and the red fox alone to themselves.

"Don't worry about your wolf friend, we're gonna take good care of him." Nick growled threateningly at the smirking vixen. "I'd rather you be more concern for yourself."

"Who are you and why are you with Vivi!?" he started babbling as exhaustion started taking a grip on the vulpine, to make matters worse the constant heat waves seem to have increased in intensity, _this is going to be one long night..._

"Who am I? Ha! I'm the one who's controlling your drug dosage!" Vex grinned evilly, _so it WAS a drug, I figured that much..._ the red fox thought to himself. "So now you know who I am, now who are you? Wait no don't tell me, I'd like figure this out for myself." She paced in a circle around the fox strapped down on the chair. Placing her paws on Nick's shoulder, she brought her muzzle towards his left ear and whispered, "Well constructed mask hiding emotional instability, portraying fearlessness, seeking assurance, all that collapsing after ten minutes of meeting your ex girl, tsk tsk..." she wiggled a finger and shook her head, "I would've expected more from you Nicholas Wilde, I guess my expectations were too high. And since you so kindly rejected our offer..." She stabbed the fox with a needle on the neck and pressed on the syringe, Nick yelped in agony as a colourless solution slowly and painfully seeped into his veins, he could feel the liquid gradually enter his bloodstream and make its way throughout his body as a hot sensation travelled from the injection site to the rest of his system. The process was slow and excruciatingly painful as Vex pressed against the syringe gently and slowly, almost comparable to a sloth, not wanting to hurry the procedure lest the fox forgets the horrible mistake of turning against the group of canines. "Have a pleasant night." The vixen slammed the door shut and left.

"What was that!?" Nick groaned as, within minutes, pain started to surge through his entire body accompanied with the intense burning sensation. "ARGH!" the fiery waves pulsed through every fibre of his being. _It burns like, like... fire!_ then it dawned on him; this group, this gang of hooligans which Vixy had mingled with, have used this drug to torture and kill those innocent lives, there was no fire that consumed the victims whole, it was a drug all along. _They're responsible for the victims' deaths.._. the dots were finally connected, it all made sense now, however... _if there never was a fire, how did the victims get covered with blisters?_ He thought for a moment, but another question arose as he assessed the situation at hand, _they gave me the same drug they gave the victims, does that mean... I'm done for?_ He gulped at the thought of his impending doom as his body grew numb from the insufferable pain.

…

…

 _*Bzzz* *Bzzz* *Bzzz*_

The noisy buzzing broke the silence in the quiet room, the mammal that inhabited the empty space shifted in his sleep upon hearing the soft noise, it wasn't the kind of noise that would cause animals to go aggressive and annoyed, but it was cacophony nonetheless. The persistent buzzing finally won the battle against the sleeping mammal as the bulky buffalo reached for his phone and tapped on the screen.

"It's three in the morning what do you want Hopps?" Bogo muttered in annoyance.

"Chief, like you said it's three in the morning but Nick isn't home yet." Judy, with a shaky voice, spoke through the phone.

"So?"

"Shouldn't we be worried? The last time I saw him was when he and Shell left the precinct in one of our cruisers and I've never seen or heard from him since then," she said with a tone full of concern.

"Just call the police and get back to bed."

"We ARE the police!" her refutation led to a pause from Bogo's side, he rubbed the sleepiness off his eye with a hoof and finally came to his senses.

"Right..."

"Would you have any idea where he went? I mean you are the chief so I figured you'll know something."

"I did give them a case to crack, but that's none of your business Hopps."

"If my fo- Nick is involved I'm pretty sure it's my business. Did you send him on a stakeout? He would never not come home for the sake of a case unless he is needed for a stakeout, and even if that did happen he would have called or at least text," Judy said frantically, the thought of Nick not being by her side has brought her much distress.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you and Wilde are sharing an apartment?"

"Yes sir you are absolutely correct, but that's not the point; the point is Nick's not home and he's probably missing somewhere out there," she began to sniffle, _something bad happened to Nick, I just know it..._

"Wow... and why wasn't I informed on such a decision the both of you made?"

"Just- Uh, fine, if you're not going to help then just say so!" she raised her voice in frustration.

"Calm down Hopps, I'll assemble a team to search for them first thing in the morning if they don't show up at work." Bogo murmured through the phone hoping that the bunny would be sufficiently content with his decision and stop pestering him this late into the night.

"And I'll be part of that team."

"Right- No! I mean no, you will not be joining-"

"It's settled then! We'll search for those two canines first thing in the morning, thanks for your help chief." And with that she put down the phone, Bogo simply sighed and dropped his head back on the pillows. From his many years of working in the force he knew that this matter was a small issue, _he's probably out for a drink, it's no big deal…_ but deep down he felt uneasy, what if Wilde was in serious danger? What if Wilde got badly injured? These questions haunted him throughout the night, _you better not get into any trouble Wilde, I can't imagine Hopps being without you.._. he sighed and fell back into a deep slumber.

…

…

"You didn't kill him did you? Gosh, Vex I told you to go easy with the dosage, I still have stuff to discuss with him!" Vivi scolded the grey fox as she placed her ear on the wooden door, "I don't hear anything. If I go in there and find a lifeless body Vex I swear I'll make sure I leave with two." She twisted the knob and, to her relief, saw a panting fox, covered in a puddle of sweat, seated on a metal chair.

"Just kill me already," the red fox insisted. The pain was more tolerable now as compared to several hours ago, but the fatigue and the unrelenting headache made death seem like a better option by comparison.

"That can be arranged," Vex, with yet another needle in her paw, stepped towards Nick just before Vivi stopped her in her tracks.

"Could you step out for a moment Vex? Nick and I need to talk." She stole a glance at Nick before escorting the grey vixen out from the room. "So how was your first night here my love?" Vivi started, but failed to get a response from Nick, she grabbed a chair from the corner of the room and placed it next to vulpine. "No? Nothing? Silent treatment it is then." The vixen sat on the chair, causing it to squeak loudly, and stared straight into his green orbs. Her gaze darted around Nick's general figure as she noticed the darkened patches of fur that were soaked in perspiration, she reached into a pocket, retrieved a napkin, and began grooming his doused fur. "Why didn't you listen to her and join us last night, you could have got yourself killed..." a tear rolled off her cheek as she started weeping, "you could have died, Nicholas." Her paw retreated back to her side.

"I'm sorry Vi, but there is no way I'm doing this; they killed four innocent lives!" disgust was evident in his tone, he could never comprehend why one would torture and murder other individuals for sport.

"Then why don't you come back to me? I'll leave this group and turn over a new leaf, if you would just come back into my embrace. I'll even untie you and set you free if you just loved me back! Why do you have to make things so difficult?" the vixen stood up from her chair and got closer to the fox, just close enough for Nick to see the hurt in her eyes.

"No Vi, I already have someone else in my heart." Vixy's face went pale instantly as the words came out from Nick's muzzle.

"What di-"

"I'm in love with someone else Vi, there isn't any room for you anymore!" he said as he noticed her head fall, he thought he heard her sob a little, but his ears could have deceived him. "You see the perfections in me and ignore all my faults, but she completes me and compensates for my flaws; you see me for my strengths and don't acknowledge my weaknesses, but she... she is my strength at times where I am weak; you think I'm your prince charming and your knight in shining armour, but she rids me of all those things and sees me for who I truly am. Can't you see Vi? We're done, I've found someone better, I've moved on..." he finally spilled the beans as the vixen dropped her head even further. A dreadful silence followed his words as the vixen lifted her head to face the fox.

"It's the bunny cop isn't it?" Nick was petrified upon hearing Vivi, she shook her head and lowered it back down. "I guessed that much. Haven't you learned, oh Nicky, that apart from me the only girl who ever loved you is your mother!?" a part of his soul shattered as the vixen spoke; she could see it so evidently in his eyes. "And look what happened to her now, last I recall: dead." Nick was speechless, _monster_... "Heh heh, figured that you'd go soft and mushy after talking about your mother, with all the hurt and painful memories and all, but don't get too used to it; you're gonna need to stay strong for the hardship that's coming your way." Vixy turned around and shouted towards the door, "Vex! Get in here and up his dosage, but don't kill him though; we're gonna make him watch his loved ones die right before his very eyes." She grinned evilly at the whimpering fox. "We're gonna kill Judy Hopps."


	17. Poor Unfortunate Souls

**#17 Poor Unfortunate Souls - The Little Mermaid**

The bright morning star ascended over the horizon as dusk faded from the sky; golden rays of sun flooded the entire metropolis causing darkness to retreat back to the shadows from whence it came. Most mammals took the radiant lights as a sign that a brand-new day has begun, yet another morning has dawned with seemingly endless possibilities and countless opportunities, and with such a hope those mammals awaken from their blissful dreams and make preparations to dive right back into reality. Many mammals were eager to take part in this daily routine, save for a certain bunny who remained curled up in a deep sleep beneath her warm and cosy blanket… well, relatively warm and cosy blanket; her usual source of heat, her greatest love and most favourite bundle of fur, which she has grown overly accustomed and attached to, was not by her side through the ruthlessly cold night. The absence of his presence had caused her much emotional distress which resulted in ceaseless streams of tears that dampened the fabric above her and an overall sleepless night.

The bunny shifted atop the empty bed as sleep slowly departed from her, with a long sigh she forced herself up to a sitting position at the edge of the mattress. Taking in a deep breath, Judy was quick to notice that the air lacked a certain flavour, an aroma which she has grown awfully fond to was nowhere to be found; the smell of Nick whenever he laid by her side. _Right_... she thought feeling rather disappointed, it was probably the very first time Nick wasn't with her when she woke up in the morning since he graduated from the police academy, except for that one time when he had to stay at the precinct for a shift that lasted overnight, however today's circumstances are entirely different from the last. A typical day for Judy usually began with Nick and herself flirting with each other using words and actions that would elicit deep blushes and occasional squealing from the innocent bunny, this phase in the morning would end in a ferocious tickle battle which in turn ends, almost every single time, with Nick's victory. Today... well today's schedule is much simpler than her typical days; get up, get changed, get going.

As Judy mindlessly changed into her uniform, she thought about how much Nick really meant to her; he has only been missing for one night and her life is already starting to fall apart, even her determination to break away from her sleep has been dampened to a great degree. The only thing that got her to her feet, the only thing that gave her strength for the day; the need to know that Nick is doing fine, that he's not in any grave danger that he got himself, and probably Shell as well, into. The doe chuckled a little at the thought, she had always loved the goofy grin and carefree attitude he carries with him, sometimes she even envies him, thinking: how could one be so charming and suave at the same time? And as she dwelled deeper into this thought she found herself feeling very blessed to have a friend like Nick. _Very blessed indeed.._. Judy smiled for the very first time this morning. _Well, gotta go find where that big dumby went._.. she thought as her right paw reached for a sheet of paper on the table while her left reached into her pocket for a pen, she scribbled a note with 'Call me, dumb fox!' written on it and dropped it on the table, hoping in her heart that she would hear from Nick very soon. And with that, she left for the precinct, alone.

…

…

"Morning chief," Judy muttered softly as she pushed open the big door that led to Bogo's office.

"I see you left the 'good' out from your 'good morning'," he replied in a well manner, "that doesn't matter, I don't care anyways." He lied, from his exterior he may seem like a tough fella that lacks any emotions but deep down he's a sentimental gentlemammal with a heart of gold who has always cared for all his fellow subordinates in the ZPD. "True enough, they have yet to get back to me despite my many attempts to contact them, so I've assigned a team to search for your partner and his temporary partner. It'll be led by officer Del-"

"Me," the doe interrupted.

Bogo pretended that he didn't hear the bunny, cleared his throat, and continued, "as I was saying, the team of searchers will be led by-"

"Me," she cut in again earning a glare from her superior, "I insist chief, no one knows Nick better than me, so I'll be able to track him down in no time!" the bunny quipped, confidence evident in her speech, though Bogo was still sceptical.

"Officer Hopps, I believe you're overly emotionally involved in this case and that can jeopardise the entire operation."

"Or it could enhance it as I have a motive and a cause to strive and perform my duties with utmost determination," she tried to sound convincing, but the buffalo remained unshaken.

"Are you suggesting that your colleagues are incompetent and are unable to carry out their duties? Are you suggesting that you're better than the other officers just because they don't appear to be concerned about this fox?" he said in a hushed tone while pressing a hoof on the table, "get a hold on yourself Hopps or you'll be separated from Wilde permanently! Now, my decision is that Delgato will be in charge of the search team and this decision is final! If you even dare to go against my commands I will see to it that Wilde gets transferred to a station in the borders of outback island! Do I make myself clear?" he warned as he pointed a hoof at the rabbit and glared at her dangerously.

"Yes sir..." Judy submitted to his authoritative command unwillingly, but her further evaluation on this matter assured her that it was the right move to make; getting fired for insubordination could have been a likely outcome if she had persistently pressured the cape buffalo. The rabbit hopped off the oversized chair and stepped out from the chief's office after he had finished, _this wouldn't do._.. Judy thought to herself, still feeling quite determined to take matters into her own paws. _No, I can't do this alone.._. she thought as she paced away from the office she just left, _I'm going to need help anyways, so might as well._.. it was then when she decided to accept her fate and gave in to the chief's decision, but she can't help but wonder why she was so eager to take charge in the hunt for Nick; was it really her need to find Nick and to ensure he is safe, or was it her pride which she may have built up after all the success she had experienced from these short years in the force? She thought horrifically for a moment, but soon decided to ponder upon it later, Nick was still more important to her; and hence her troubling question was answered.

"Good morning Judy! I've been informed that you'll be joining my team to search for your little foxy partner," Officer Delgato, a lion with light brown fur and a dark brown mane, said teasingly at the sight of the bunny cop, this earned him a rather cute glare from the smaller mammal, not that he'd tell her as he knew she would take such kind complements as a major insult to her kind.

"What can I do to help?" the doe replied after dropping her glare at the large feline.

"At the moment we're still trying to ping Nick's and Shell's phones, but so far there hasn't been any results. If you would like to you could join Wolford to go sniff out some evidence from the scene the duo was last at." Delgato suggested as he twitched his nose to mimic the act of sniffing, Judy giggled at his gesture.

"Sure," she replied, "where is Wolford by the way?" she asked after scanning through the office to find that the said wolf was nowhere to be found.

"Probably already half way to the scene," the larger of the two mammals informed, "if I were you I'd dash out right this instant to catch up with him."

Judy hesitated for a moment, "are you sure there isn't anything left to do here at the precinct?" she questioned.

"Not unless you wish to do the paperwork."

"... fine, I'll be off then," she grumbled under her breath and left for the cruiser she and Nick shared. The ride to the scene, which apparently was an abandoned house in a secluded area of the Rainforest district, was a rather quiet one; without Nick her life seemed to be so dull and lifeless. The doe sighed while her gaze remained fixated on the road before her. She began her thinking once again, but her train of thought was disrupted as a familiar noise blared from her pocket; the default ringtone on her phone had began playing as she felt it vibrate strongly., the bunny reached into her pocket and removed her phone. _Nick?_ She thought hopefully, but was let down as the screen displayed an unknown number. She tapped on her phone and turned the loudspeakers on. "Officer Hopps, how may I help you?"

"Officer Hopps? Brilliant! Just who I wanted on the line." Judy had a bewildered look on her face as she heard a mammal with a high pitch voice, probably a female, speak through the phone. "How can you help me you ask? More like how I can help you," the caller said across the line.

"I- I'm sorry I didn't quite catch what that meant, may I have your name please?"

"My name? Oh what good will that do you? You should be asking about my status! Go on, ask." The voice on the other end prompted as the doe squinted in annoyance, _prank call again._.. she concluded.

"Ok bye-"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, who knows maybe your partners life will be at stake if you hit that 'end call' button." The caller deadpanned causing Judy's heart to skip a beat.

"Wha- what did you say? You know where Nick is? Where is he!?" she practically yelled into the phone as she heard chuckling through the phone.

"Ahaha, Judy oh Judy, you have no idea what hot waters you've just stepped into, but I can help with that; I'll be more than willing to let you in on all that has occurred regarding your little friend Nicholas Piberius Wilde." Judy could practically hear her muzzle tug into a grin through the speaker. "If you're willing to meet me in Sahara Square right now, I'd be happy to let you in on everything, even where we're hiding and, more importantly, what we're doing with him. Correction, what we're doing TO him," she taunted, "oh yeah, if you don't show up we'll kill him! How's that for persuasion?"

"You dare lay a finger on him-"

"Oh I've laid more than a finger alright; he's just too charming to resist!" the caller quipped, "Sahara Square, in fifteen minutes, be there or be square. Toodles!" and with that the call was disconnected leaving the bunny perplexed, her mind raced rapidly as she tried her best to make sense of the call earlier, _why is he with them? What are they going to do? What have they already done?_ Her growing concern and curiosity helped fuel her mind to take the irrational act of taking a turn at a cross junction, a turn that led her straight to the heart of Sahara Square. _I'm coming for you Nick, hang in there.._. she stepped on the pedal and sped off.

…

…

"Where is she?" the doe muttered to herself after waiting for a solid hour, or so it seemed as only ten minutes have passed since she reached their meeting spot; a cafe, which the address she had obtained in a text message from the unknown mammal who called her several moments ago, located in the central region of Sahara Square. The bunny's left foot started tapping on the soft sand beneath her as impatience brewed within her, she began doubting her rash actions that ultimately left her defenceless, save for the gun she kept in the hoist on her belt, and without any back up. She reached for her phone and unlocked the screen, _maybe I'll call Bogo..._

"Don't even think about it." Her neck snapped at the red fox that had joined her at the table. "Call for back up and Nicky will pay the price."

"And who are you to call him 'Nicky'?" Judy questioned, but the confident and mildly proud expression on the fox's face stayed intact.

"Funny you ask, the name's Vivi," she extended a paw, but the doe refused to acknowledge it earning a scoff from the vixen, "rude!" she commented before withdrawing her offered paw. "I suggest you cooperate fully with me as our hostage, dear Nicky's, life is on the line." The fox reminded the bunny to keep her in check, Judy grunted in displeasure but gave in to her demands anyways. "Here's what I propose; I tell you where to find Nicky, I tell you where he is, I tell you where to search for him and you do me a favour."

"And what would that be?" Judy asked, feeling desperate to learn more of Nick's whereabouts.

"Help me rob a bank. How's that?" the vixen offered, gazing at the bunny with half lidded eyes, the doe crossed her arms over her bosom and leaned back onto her chair.

"No way I'm doing this, for all I know this is a hoax trying to get me to steal from some bank." She resolved and jumped off her seat.

"So you want prove? Oh I have proof alright."

"Prove? Yes, that and I also need a name, your name and your relationship with Nick and, if you'd be so kind, your motive and plan of action." Judy pushed for answers as Vivi searched for her phone in her purse.

"Current relationship with Nicky? Ha! He hasn't told you about me before has he?" the vixen chuckled upon seeing the confused bunny. "I'm his previous mate you silly rabbit." Judy's jaw dropped after learning this piece of information.

"You're- Then why on Earth would you hold him hostage!?" she yelled in disbelief as her paws tugged on the tuff of fur situated on her cheeks.

"Long story short, I've been a little nasty lately." Vivi, with the phone held in her paw, played a video from the do to see.

"Just kill me already..." were the first four words Judy heard as she watched in pure horror; Nick, bounded to a metal chair, was dripping with gallons of sweat and his breathing seemed heavy and inconsistent, his body appeared to have weaken and his coherent persona had completely collapsed, seeing him like this had crushed the doe's fragile soul. Adrenaline raged through her veins as Nick growled and whimpered in pain, she had to turn away to avoid seeing the things he had to go through, she just couldn't bear to see him on the brink of death.

"You monster..."

"Funny how he said those exact words. So, have we got a deal? The longer we spend discussing this, the more poor little Nicky has to suffer."

"SHUT YOU TRAP! Don't you ever call him that again!" Judy slammed her paws on the table and leaned over it.

"Wow he's really began rubbing of on you hasn't he? He said those exact words!" Vivi marvelled, but Judy was less impressed, at the moment she wished she could pounce on her and rip her ears apart, but that might cost Nick his life, so she decided against that.

"How much are you asking for? I'll get you the money, but you'll have to release him first and promise to never see him again." She had had it with this vixen.

"Money? No no we're not doing this for money," the fox chuckled and slapped her knee lightly, "we don't want your money, and we also don't want your reputation," she said rather seriously, "either you commit some crime and destroy your 'hero of Zootopia' title or you quit the force. If you don't want the above options you can always go on with life without old Nicky by your side. I mean, who's stopping you from walking away now? Certainly not me." She placed a paw on her chest and shook her head, "that's the final deal; Nick's life for yours," she gestured towards the bunny and brought her right leg over her left. "Go ahead, make your choice." A smirk grew across her muzzle as she eyed the conflicted bunny.

"…" the doe was left speechless.

"Life's full of tough choices am I right?" the fox laughed evilly, "you know what? I feel like I've been a horrible witch as of late, so I'll mend my ways, perform my magic and offer you another deal without consent from my boss." _Boss?_ _This is an organisation not an individual schemer_... "I'll let you meet with Nick, then you'll make your decision then, but I warn you if you bring anyone else from the police we'll immediately open fire and, guess what? Kill Nick! Isn't this a brilliant proposal?"

"Monster." Judy muttered under her breath, but the vixen sharp hearing managed to catch her soft whisper.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. I'm a very busy mammal, but I'll give you until tonight." She passed a note to Judy and got on her feet. "Call me on this number when you've finally made up your mind, and don't bother tracking it, the phone has been tampered with so it can't be pinged." Vivi turned around so her back faced the doe, "I'll see you real soon." A grin formed over her snout as she stepped away from the cafe.

As a shark rounds its prey, Judy was cornered the same way, _Do I have a choice?_ She groaned as anxiety began creeping into her mind. She picked up her phone and dialled for Bogo.

"I need some time off chief, maybe a day or two just to clear my mind," she said as soon as the call went through.

"Says the one who was dying to get right to this search," Bogo retorted while rolling his eyes, "What happened Hopps?"

"I just... just suddenly felt uneasy, so I'll cash in on the leaves I've accumulated for some rest," she hesitantly said, fearing the dreadful consequences of facing Bogo once the truth is revealed.

"Right... any updates regarding Wilde?"

"..." she thought carefully and finally replied, "...no sir."

"That's it? Just a 'no sir'?" the cape buffalo questioned causing Judy's heart to pound rapidly against her chest.

"Yes sir, I... haven't been able to find anything because of this killer headache," she partially lied, the headache was actually bearable, but it was painful nonetheless.

"I see." Was all that the chief said. "I'll give you 2 days to rejuvenate, but after that you are required to be at your best performance, am I understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Splendid." The call ended after that. _I'm sorry chief, I had no choice..._ she thought regretfully as she hopped off the chair and headed home.

…

…

"Nick? Nick?" the bunny pushed open a door as it creaked loudly, "you here Nick?" she took a step into the room and, to her surprise, saw a chair beneath a beam of light containing a certain fox tied up to it. "Oh Nick!" relief flooded her system, but it was soon replaced with tremendous fear as the vulpine tilted his head towards the doe and stared right into her amethyst eyes. All that she saw were lifeless green hues.

"Run."


	18. Hellfire

**#18 Hellfire - Hunchback of Notre Dame**

The door creaked open with a loud eerie noise as a shadowy figure stepped into the room, the moist and fresh scent of green plants and herbs flooded her senses as she closed the door behind her. The mammal took a deep breath as she glanced around her surrounding, a set of computer screens that were neatly arranged on an old worn off table was what she saw as she assessed the scene, she searched for a chair and took a seat in front of the said screens. A sigh slipped from her muzzle as she leaned onto the wooden chair. _What have I gotten myself into..._ regret filled her mind as she reflected on the drastic and outright crazy things she has done for the past few days, _capture the love of my life, torture him till he almost died, now plotting to kill his partner, just brilliant Vivi, just brilliant..._ the red fox's head slumped against the chair as she let out yet another sigh. She winced as a loud creek rang through the room and immediately snapped her head towards the door, light began to pour into the dimly illuminated room as the door slowly opened to reveal a rather short and fluffy raccoon dog. "Jaja..." she thought aloud in a mildly distressed tone; she had wanted to be alone for a moment or two just to think about all that has taken place, she just wanted to be by herself and get lost in her own thoughts. Then again, a companion to speak with does sound like a better alternative, maybe a listening ear can allow her to find some peace.

"Oh, hi Vivi! Just got back from meeting up with the bunny cop?" The dog began in a cheerful manner as she dragged a seat over and sat with the vixen.

"Yep! And everything's going as planned, or so I thought..."

"Oh? What's wrong Vivi?" the fox got up from her seat, shut the door tight, twisted a small knob to lock the door, and paced back towards the table. She leaned back on the chair, with her arms crossed and began to pour out her thoughts.

"Ja, have you ever... have you ever loved someone so badly that you'd rather die than live another day without him? Have you ever had this burning passion for someone that just scorches your very soul?" Vixy asked with an unfocused gaze, she then turned to look at a specific computer screen where a lonely fox sat, bounded to a chair, in the centre of an empty room. "Have you ever felt the hurt and betrayal when you find out that the one you love has his heart fixed on another mammal, that he doesn't reciprocate the burning passion that you hold for him? You ever felt that before?" the vixen finally turned back to look at Jaja as she placed a paw beneath her chin.

"Is this regarding that vulpine you have there?" Jaja pointed at the screen as Vixy's gaze followed.

"Is it not obvious enough?" she raised a brow and snorted.

"Well, if you really do love that fox why did you tie him down and induce so much pain on him? Why'd you do that?" the dog threw her paws up in the air as her brows knit into a frown, she was really troubled as to why Vivi would do so much horrendous things her loved ones and was determined to get to the bottom of this, lest curiosity consumes her completely. The vixen sighed.

"I... enjoy seeing him in pain..." she admitted with a down casted gaze. "I enjoy watching him whine and moan; I enjoy that I had full control of what he's feeling; I enjoy the power I held..." she continued sheepishly as conflicting thoughts ran through her mind. "Is that so wrong?" with teary eyes she stared right into her companion's grey hues, Jaja brought her seat closer to the vixen's and stroked the fur on her lap with a paw.

"Mind if I ask, what happened when you were a kit? Your classmates bully you? Your siblings fight a lot?" she hesitated for a moment, but finally asked, "Your parents hurt you?" Vixy broke down as she threw her arms around the dog, she sobbed continuously while her partner patiently patted her back. "There there, it's gonna be fine." Her reassurance helped calm the weeping red fox, after some time Vixy released her companion and leaned back on her chair. A tense atmosphere soon descended as a thick fog as the two canines watched the screens without a word, the silence was soon broken as Jaja spoke. "I know thing or two about parental abuse." Vixy broke her gaze from the monitors and turned to face the tanuki beside her. "And I also know a thing or two about love, and break ups, let's just say my past was not as bright as my future." She rubbed her left arm with her right paw to relief the nervousness she felt from reliving her past. "Since I was a child, maybe six or maybe seven, I was trained to be a killer." Her fangs bared subconsciously as she said these words. "My family, whom I'm not really proud of honestly, worked under an organisation that provided 'removal services' as my parents would say, they were, essentially, assassins. And since a young age I've been trained to be stealthy and quick on my feet, now think about this..." she tapped the table with a sharp claw. "... a small kit being taught to hide and kill anyone when commanded, now how will this child learn such cruel acts? Demonstrations and punishments." She said plainly as Vixy winced at the thought. "Just imagine all the deaths I've seen all my life, and all the whipping and caning I got from failing to comply to an order to kill." Her gaze remained unshaken as terrifying memories flashed by her eyes, the screaming and the crying of all that had fallen victim to her vicious act rang through her head like a broken record, but the desensitisation had taken effect and she felt no guilt in what she has done. "And love? Pssh, I was literally sold off to gang leader so my parents could get bailed out of jail, hope they could've just died instead..."

"Wow, you've had a rough huh?" Vixy, after attentively listening for a whole ten minutes, finally commented.

"Yeah, but the point is that it doesn't matter what you past is, what matters is what you do right now. You really love that fox? Then give him a reason to love you back." Her paw gestured at the monitors once again.

"Heh, I guess you're right. I'll see you in a bit." The vixen hopped off her chair and made her way to the door. "I've got a date to attend to." And with a smile she left the raccoon dog.

* * *

"Hey Nicky!" the door swung open as Vixy, with a tray full of pastries, stepped into the humid room. "Got you some snacks, you'll need the energy if you want to live."

"And if I don't?" he deadpanned.

"Aww, but you've got so much to live for; me, our promises, our memories..." Nick scoffed at the jubilant canine. "... and your beloved bunny." He froze as the vixen stood directly in front of him. "Oh, is that the trigger? Your lovely fuzzy Judy Hopps?" he tilted his drenched head to face the grinning mammal.

"Don't drag her into this, please..." he pleaded with a gleaming gaze, Vixy placed the tray of food on the vulpine's lap and fetched a chair from the corner of the room.

"Don't worry about that, I'm not here to talk about her; I'm here to talk about us." She winked flirtatiously at the red fox, who scowled in response.

"As I said before, and I'll say it again, Vixy, we're through." He frowned in agitation.

"Really? Then why is it..." she got up from her seat, removed the pastries from his lap and placed it on the floor, Nick gulped in discomfort as she leaned herself against his chest. "...whenever I get so close..." Nick began mildly panting as Vivi brought her muzzle towards his ear. "... your heart just starts racing." He could hear her muzzle tug into a smirk as she slowly withdrew her muzzle. The vixen, still leaning on Nick, placed a paw over his chest pressed against it gently, she felt the constant beating of his heart accelerate at her tender touch.

"Get... off... now..." Nick muttered with an shaky tone, Vivi, for once, adhered to his demands and got back on her feet.

"You can't deny that now can you?" she sent another wink to the vulpine as she picked a pastry up and started digging into it. "This is very good, you should try some." Her voice was muffled by the bread she had stuffed in her mouth, but it was heard nonetheless. Nick steadied his breathing by taking in deep breaths, _do... do I really like her?_ The disturbing thought spawned in his restless mind, _that's not it, that can't be it's, it's..._

"The drug!" he exclaimed out of the blue. "My heart's pounding due to the effects of the drug!" he said in relief; he was getting worried that he was beginning to develop some form of Stockholm syndrome.

"Clever clever boy." She cupped his cheeks with her paws and jiggled it playfully, much to Nick's disapproval. "Now tell me, what exactly is the drug?" the fox thought for a moment, but had no answer to the question she proposed. "Since I'm trying to come to good terms with you and hopefully steal your heart, I'm gonna tell you the answer!" she said in a bubbly demeanour, but Nick was unamused. "It's not that hard actually..." she reached into her pocket and retrieved a needle, the vulpine yelped and squirmed above the chair as he caught sight of the torturous tool.

"Get it away from me." He tried to shake his legs loose so he could make a dash for it, but all afford was put to waste as the binds that bounded him remained firmly in tact, he began trembling in fear as the vixen stepped closer to his side.

"What's this? A violent reaction in response to a phobia? Wow I never knew mammals could get traumatised by chillies..."

"Chillies?" Nick managed to voice up despite the uncontrollable, involuntary shaking.

"Chillies, peppers, whatever you call it, brilliant isn't it? We've been injecting you with nothing more than a capsaicin solution." Vivi pressed on the syringe to clear out any bubble present in the solution. "Capsaicin can cause burning sensation, increase of heart rate and blood pressure, and excruciating pain. The more you know!" she gesticulated dramatically. "Now, if I may ask, again, why are you so infatuated with a rabbit, who is in fact a prey, and not with me, a red fox, female, exactly the same species with you? Why is it that whenever I show affection you just hurl me one side! Don't you know I'll burn down the whole of Zootopia if you asked me to!?" she got closer and closer as she raised her voice. "So now you choose, me or your pyre?" Vivi scowled at the vulpine as she brought the needle dangerously close to his jugular. "Be mine or you shall burn..."

"See this? This is why I never like you." Nick swayed his head towards the vixen and darted his gaze across her, she gradually pushed the syringe into his neck as screams sounded across the room.

"Pyre it is, and I assure you I will let her taste the fires of the hell that you've been through." The solution seeped into his veins as waves of heat and pain hit the panting fox. "Now, Judy Hopps..."

"...it's your turn."


	19. You'll Be In My Heart

**#19 You'll Be In My Heart - Tarzan**

"Run." Nick grunted with a husky voice, ignoring and suppressing the excruciating pain that surged through every fibre of his being as he did so. "Get out of here Judy!" he warned, but that failed to falter the doe's unshaken determination and sheer stubbornness, instead of heeding his words she dashed towards him and knelt before the metal chair.

"Oh Nick…" a tear rolled off her cheek as she embraced the precipitating fox, her soft fur rubbed against his uncomfortably dampened tangerine pelt as soon as they made contact. Her concern developed even further as she sensed the vulpine's body shake under her touch, his inconsistent yet relatively frequent shivers displayed the difficult fight he had against the extreme weather of the rainforest, _that is where we are, right?_ She thought whilst backing away from Nick, it was still dark outside as the sun has yet to rise so she was unable to clearly identify the location they were in, however based on the humidity and fresh scent in the atmosphere, her guess was logical and probably accurate. "We're getting out of here." She began untying the… _plants?_ She looked at the binds that entwined the fox's wrist and hind paws with confusion; the strong rope used to secure Nick to the chair was made of some sort of bright green coloured leaves that carried a mild shade of dark red, the leaves had been weaved together so that it made a dense rope that had great tensile strength, several sticks stuck out from the otherwise uniform string, most likely the plant's stem as Judy, with all her knowledge on flora, has confirmed. Upon closer examination the bunny noticed that the ropes were in fact very thick, hence very strong and restrictive, and were tied to Nick so tightly to the extent the area around his wrist has been stripped off of any fur. "What did they do to you…" tears began to well up again as her paws skilfully undid the secured knots.

"Not the point Carrots, it's what they'll do to you!" Nick attempted to urge Judy to leave immediately, but she remained focused on the tedious task of releasing her partner from the large bundle of ropes. "Fine, but if you want us both to survive you better hurry before-"

* _Click_ *

The sound of a gun clocking resonated throughout the room, the duo froze as a chill of terror went down their spines. "Before we're here?" said the figure aiming the gun directly at the kneeling rabbit, her lips tugged into a smirk as the doe got up on her feet.

"This wasn't part of the plan." Judy voiced, a hint of betrayal lingered in her words.

"Trying to escape with my foxy wasn't a part we discussed now was it?" the vixen got closer as she gestured for Judy to step away from her hostage. "I guess our deal just expired."

"NO!" Her finger tightened around the trigger.

* _Bang_ *

A dreadful silence fell as Nick darted his gaze between Vixy, with a gun in her paw, before him and Judy whose body slumped against the wall and dropped on the floor. He stared at the rabbit in disbelief and panic, but something was not right; she displayed no signs of being injured at all. Sobs soon came from his right as he noticed a crying bunny leaning on the barrier of bricks, he felt relieved that she was alright, but that feeling dissipated as her terrified and trembling gaze met his. "Oh my, a blank, my bad." The vixen teased as she retrieved a bullet from her pocket and placed it in the revolver, she smacked her lips and took a seat beside Nick on the cold iron chair.

"Get away from him." Judy lost her sense of fear as she stood up with courage to fend for her fox, she stepped back towards the vixen but stopped advancing when Vivi pointed the gun at Nick's chest.

"Come closer, I dare you." A low growled sounded from the vixen, her once carefree and snarky demeanour now lost and replaced with a serious and rather deadly attitude, her red irises portrayed the bloodlust that she had suppressed all these years, up until now. She clocked the gun as she did before, this time however with a bullet in the weapon and a yearning for a kill. "So I'll ask again, as I've been asking all this time; what is it you've got that I don't." She asked the rabbit while Nick was held at gunpoint, "How can two very different beings come together so harmoniously to form one?" her words dripped with sarcasm as her free paw gesticulated.

"I know we're a little different; size, species, our personalities, but really we're not that different at all." The doe, as calm as possible, replied as she backed up against the wall.

"Huh, really? That's all you got?" she scoffed and turned towards Judy, "Well I'm not that different from Nicky as well why can't we be one with each other!?" she tapped the gun on Nick's chest as she mentioned his name, Judy cringed at the threatening action. "Why can't the love reciprocate!? Do you know how it feels when those you love walk out of your life!? Do you know how much it hurts when you're just thrown out and left to survive in this harsh world!? Do you!?" Vixy's paw tightened around the handle off her firearm as she fought the tears that began rolling down her cheeks.

"No, no I don't…" Judy admitted with her gaze cast down, but she took a step forward and looked right into the vixen's watery eyes, "…but he does." The doe's extended paw reached towards Nick as his stared dreadfully at the gun. "He understands exactly how you feel, and look what he's become." Judy bravely took another step forward. "Thing is, Vivi, we've all had our ups and downs, what matters is what we do now in the present." Her words rang through the vixen's mind as a familiar conversation resurfaced in her memory, _yeah, that's what Jaja said…_ the little talk she had with a certain raccoon dog and the words uttered by Judy's lips finally began to have an effect on her as she slowly lowered the gun, it was still pointed at the vulpine, but it was lowered nevertheless.

"I…"

"I don't think so." A paw came from behind Vivi and snatched the loaded gun from her grip, before the vixen could react she was shoved aside and fell laterally towards the floor, Judy's eyes widened in fear as the revolver was now aimed at her direction.

"Wha- this wasn't part of the plan! Vex!" Vivi yelled as she tended to a bruise she got from falling over, Nick on the other hand struggled beside her to break free from the constrains.

"Plans get cancelled. Plus, you were going to kill the bunny anyways, so nothing has really changed really. Except I get to get even." Her primal instinct to kill went ablaze with the weapon in her paw, the pounding on her chest rose as excitement coursed through her veins. With a swift motion Judy grabbed the tranquiliser that was hidden beneath her shirt and got into her fighting posture, panic and pure horror caused her to shake, which in turn prevented her from getting a clear shot. The grey fox circled around her prey while the rabbit officer turned, on her spot, so that she consistently faced her opponent.

"Where's Shell?" the officer finally spoke her mind after Vex had made a complete circle around her.

"Shell? Who's that?" Vivi asked, totally oblivious that they held another hostage captive. "Vex what did you not tell me?"

"Shut it Vi." The grey vixen shut her off before she could pry further, earning a scowl and an expression of mistrust. "I'd be more worried for myself if I were you." Vexen turned back to the conversation she held with the bunny cop, slightly surprised that she hasn't pulled the trigger and darted her, _too scared to I assume…_ a grin grew across her muzzle. "Shell is in good paws. You, on the other hand, are at the mercy of my paws." She halted her walking and took her stance, "And their getting awfully itchy."

"No! Judy!" Nick yelped in distress he grew short of breath. A villainous chuckle came from the armed vixen as she stole a glance at the helpless vulpine.

"I suggest you look away." The fox panicked when Vex brought her other paw to the handle of the revolver and turned back to, possibly, her next victim.

"Vi!" he shouted, but not loudly lest the psychopathic vixen hears his cries, "Vi, if you have ever loved me at all…" he looked into her gleaming hues, desperation and pain evident in his strong gaze, "…let me go." A tear fell from the corner of her eye as she gazed deeply into his emerald orbs, her paw reached around his figure as they stayed in a momentary hug.

"I'm sorry." Was all she could say.

With her back against the two red foxes and a seemingly unguarded rabbit before her, confidence began to build up within the smirking grey fox. "For one so small, Judy Hopps, you seem so strong." She said with a prideful appearance plastered over her face, "But now at the face of death, your true colours have shown." Her paws steadily supported the gun in the air as she noted the slight tremor of her arms and the involuntary twitch of her nose. "The bond you share with your partner here, probably the bond that had caused my parents their lives." She paused for a moment as memories flashed by her mind. "You think it can't be broken?" Judy wanted to retort to her statement, but the fear had gotten the better of her. "I'm sure it can."

* _BANG_ *

* _WHOOT_ *

Two projectiles, a dart and a bullet, flew through the air simultaneously; the dart towards the vixen and the bullet towards the doe. It was that moment when so many things flashed before her eyes, all the time she spent with her family, all the memories of her colleagues and friends, all the moments with Nick… but what really flashed by her eyes was a bolt of orange fur that swooped pass her. Then time came to a stop as she finally let out a breath. Her mind slowly cleared when she turned to her right and, as though she was in nightmare, saw Nick whimpering as he laid inanimately on the floor.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT!" a shout came from her left followed by the sound of several punches, a loud crash of a body falling against the floor, and the noise of fleeing footsteps. Despite all that, Judy continued crawling.

"Cl- Cl- Clawhauser-" she spoke into her phone which she had retrieved from her pocket. "Send ba- backup to my location, o- …officer down." she stammered through her speech. Tossing her phone to a side she made her way next to Nick. "Ni- Ni-" the worst case scenario has played out; a bullet through his bosom and a dart behind his back, he was quickly losing consciousness, and the dart was only making matters worse. Streams of tears fell on his shirt as she shifted the fox so that he faced her. She pressed with all her might on the wound to prevent further blood lost, soaking her grey fur and his tangerine coat with a terrifying shade of red, she closed her eyes in hopes of awakening from this terror. Soon a reassuring warm paw reached for her cheeks, opening her eyes she hoped for the best, but everything was just as it is; the nightmare is now a reality. She cried even more.

" _Come stop your crying… it will be alright…"_ Nick, with a drowsy voice, began to sing.

"Nick! Don't move you'll-"

"Shhh." He hushed her and placed his right paw over hers. " _Just take my hand, hold it tight…"_ memories of this song came to her as his big paw enveloped hers in a weak grip.

"Stay with me Nick, backup's coming."

" _You'll be in… my heart…"_ he moved one of Judy's paw over to his heart as he sang the next few lines. _"You'll be… in my… heart… from this day on, now and… forevermore…"_

"You better promise that you big dumby! Why did you have to always be the hero!" she scolded the vulpine, who responded with a weak smile.

" _When destiny calls you… you must be strong…"_ Judy froze as the song played through her mind, she grew silent and her sobbing started again as she recalled the next sentence.

"No Nick, stay with me!"

" _Though… though I may not be with you… but… you've got to hold on…"_ Nick's eyes grew heavy as consciousness left his being.

"Nick! NICK!" Judy cried, to no avail, as she remained beside the body of her beloved fox.


	20. I Thought I Lost You

**#20 I Thought I Lost You - Bolt**

The warm radiant sun rising from the east, brings forth life to every plant, bug, and beast. Music of rustling leaves in the breeze, the orchestra of birds singing on the trees, endless humming of buzzing bees, and the cold dark night simply leaves; indeed, the morning began in absolute peace, but even so rest was not found as Judy waited anxiously beside an occupied hospital bed. The occupant of this bed? None other than the most important animal in her life, the one and only mammal willing to risk his life for her; Nicholas Wilde. A monitor next to the bedside table displayed a thin blue line that bounced across the screen in a rather consistent manner, it was definitely a good sign the vulpine was on his way to recovery, but she can't be certain until he wakes from his deep slumber.

"Nick…" she placed her paw on his as memories of the previous night, memories she wished would stop recurring, came back to her: how lifeless yet oddly peaceful he looked when he laid there in her arms, how the faint smile spread across his muzzle as his eyes slammed shut. The images in her mind were far too detailed for her liking, but there was nothing she could do to make them go away. The events that followed were quite fuzzy in her head, all she could make out from the chaos were sounds of sirens and lots and lots of yelling, from both the paramedics that rushed to the scene and from herself when her fellow police officers had to drag her away from Nick so that he could be tended to. The cold dark night was probably the worst part of this entire ordeal; countless doctors and nurses stepped in and out from the room where Nick was contained, most of which decided to ignore the bunny and her pleas to see her partner while a small fraction of them tried to dissuade her from robbing Nick of his sleep and insisted that she return when visiting hours begin the next day. Well, here she is now.

A yawn escaped her for the third time in the pass minute as she patted her snout with her free paw; she was utterly exhausted and worn out, but her crippling anxiety had deprived her of any sleep throughout the night, maybe for her own good actually, as she wished for nothing more than to watch her fox rest with that untroubled smile of his. _When he wakes up I'm gonna slap that smile of his face for scaring me to death…_ just as she inwardly said those words, she felt something tighten around her paw; Nick's paw. "Nick!" Judy leaped off her chair and leaned against the frame of the bed, "can you hear me Nick? Do you recognise me?" the doe was delighted to see the fox's emerald orbs reveal itself as his eyelids fluttered open.

"I'll recognise those eyes any day." The bunny practically pounced unto the fox from the overwhelming joy and relief. "Uf- Watch it Carrots..." Nick muttered weakly as the doe scrambled to his side on the bed, she was quick to apologise for any injuries she may have caused, but the smirk on Nick's face was proof that she inflicted none. "Uhh…" he groaned while rubbing his temples in hopes of easing the pounding headache. "Did they find Shell? Is he okay?" he asked, concerned, despite the pain. Judy's ears fell as tears began to well up again.

"You selfless prick," she jabbed him in the arm and cried.

"Hey! Watch your language!" he tried to sound stern, but his weakness prevented him from doing so.

"You just got shot, you almost died, and now all you care about is someone else!?" she was overcome with emotions as her tone became shaky, "What if the paramedics didn't make it in time? What if the bullet was a little to the left and directly at your heart? What if you never woke up!?" Judy buried herself in his chest and allowed her tears to soak his fur, the vulpine simple embraced her in silence. "Why do you always have to be the hero? What were you trying to prove!?"

"How much I care for you, Judy." The doe lifted her head from his chest as she felt a teardrop fall from the muzzle above her. "You don't know how terrified I was at that moment…" the tears he held back began to fall. All that went through Judy's mind was how much worry and fear she had to face, but she failed to realise that behind his act of bravery and the courage impression she saw in him, he was scared too. The doe wrapped her arms around Nick's neck and sank back into his embrace. "The first time that monster fired a blank… I thought it was over…"

The hug they shared tightened further as they released the accumulated emotions and allowed it to flow along with their tears. The intimacy they shared filled the emptiness of their hearts with comfort and love, after days of hardships and ordeals, they were finally whole again. A comforting silence fell in the room as the sobbing slowly came to a halt, all that is left were smiles. "I knew that you'd come back to me," Judy finally said.

"Well, I've given my word to a certain cute little bunny that I'll be by her side." He forced a chuckle to alleviate the lump that began to form in his throat. "Heh heh, I'm not going to turn away from those promises, that's for sure. Not even your parents would stop me from doing that." Nick's ear twitched slightly as he finished, portraying the hurt from Stu's harsh words that still lingered in his mind.

"Yeah, about that…" Judy rolled over and reached for her phone that was placed on her chair. "Called them both last night, couldn't think of anyone else who would offer a listening ear," she teetered her phone in her paw, the fox unconsciously gulped as potential scenarios shot through his mind, "I told them everything about last night…" she paused and took a deep breath, Nick bit down on his lips as the suspense stretched on, "…they said they're sorry, for all the hurt they inflicted, for all the doubts they casted, for all the discrimination they showed." A smirk formed on his muzzle as he gazed at the bunny with half lidded eyes.

"And?"

"And they wish to invite you over again, that is if you wish to. Would you give them a second chance? They don't usually act up like that, in fact they even started doing business with Gideon-"

"Gideon? As in Gideon Grey? The one we talked about?" the fox shot up at the sound of that name which he, despite not knowing who it belonged to, grew to hate. "If we go back to Bunnyburrow do I get to meet this 'Gideon' guy?" he crossed his arm and glared at the doe suspiciously.

Judy drooped her eyes to assume her 'unamused' look, "Yeah yeah, you get to meet Gideon." _Why did I even mention him…_ she sighed.

"Good. When do we leave? Tomorrow? I wonder if I can get discharged early…" he fiddled with the equipment in an attempt to break free from its constrains, but Judy swatted his paws before he broke any of the tubes.

"Stop that you dumby. We'll visit only at the end of winter, we still got work to do you know." His restless paws stopped fidgeting as he brought them back to across his bosom.

"Yeah sure, let's work our butts off after a near death experience." He pouted in protest, the doe giggled loudly at his mannerism.

"At least you still got me to tease and make fun of." She dropped herself onto his lap, her ears stood tall in joy.

"Do I have that? Yes, yes I do," his pouting expression relaxed into his signature grin, "I'm so glad I do…"

"But seriously, who's Gideon Grey?" Judy groaned in defeat.

…

…

Any form of conversation quickly died off as fatigue overtook the bunny, the vulpine also made an attempt to get some rest, but the irregular and annoying, yet very cute, snores that Judy gave off kept him awake. It wasn't that it was loud or noisy, but rather he took this opportunity to truly appreciate what a wonderful partner he had, _Her nose just shrivelled! Cute…_ A series of firm knocks on the door soon caught his attention, though it failed to awaken the snoozing rabbit.

"Oh! Mr Wilde!" the doctor, a female caribou dressed in what appears to be a lab coat, exclaimed as she stepped into the room. Nick immediately covered Judy with his bushy tail, lest she wakes up from them conversing. "You're awake! Good, good. How are ya feeling?" she inquired from the drowsy fox.

"It still hurts a little… ok fine it hurts a lot," he finally admitted, "Am still a little lightheaded, but that's about it I guess."

"Any headaches?"

"A tad bit, not much of a bother though."

"Good, good, that's good…" the caribou scribbled something on her clip board without breaking her gaze from it, she dropped her pen into her breast pocket and gently placed the board into a compartment installed beside the bed. "Your superior wishes to have a word with you, would that be fine?" she asked after sliding her hooves down her pockets.

"Sure, in fact I was about to go search for him, that is until you came in." he joked, but the caribou didn't seem to catch it.

"Please stay put on your bed, make minimum movements please, I don't want to be the one stitching you back again," she said in a serious tone, though the hyperbole was evident in her speech.

"Got it," Nick replied, the doctor soon stepped out as another large mammal entered the room. A grunt could be heard as the room shook for a moment. "The door's a tight squeeze huh chief?"

"Shut it Wilde," a massive buffalo said with yet another grunt, "how are you doing?" he asked caringly.

"I'm good, I guess. Did you catch the bad guys?"

Silence.

"… I'm afraid not Wilde, but as of now they will be highly wanted mammals." Disappointment filled his voice, accompanying that was a hint of determination and resolve. "I'll make them pay for what they did to my officers."

"Aww, I'm touched chief." Nick placed a paw over his heart and sent a wink towards Bogo, he forcefully coughed and turned away.

"Don't get used to it Wilde."

"Sure thing." A stretch of silence formed again before Nick finally voiced out, "then… did you find Shell?"

"Did you not hear me say ' _officers'_?" he raised a brow, "we found him knocked out not far from your location, couple of bruises and scratches, but he'll survive." Bogo reported feeling rather surprised that Nick had as much compassion for his peers as he did, his snarky behaviour was just a mask after all. "You should get some rest. I'll drop by tomorrow to fill in the report." And with that the cape buffalo showed himself to the door.

"Chief." He stopped right at the door when Nick called for him. "Thank you, it was touching, really." He nodded in response and stepped out through the door. _Thank you, Nick, for pulling through…_ he began his journey back to the ZPD, _it would be a shame to lose a good officer like you.._.

…

…

"I don't get it; how did you not die of the drug?"

"That drug, if you even want to call it that, was as harmless as chili flakes on a sizzling pan of pizza."

"Really? And why is that?"

"It was just capsaicin really, and seriously Carrots? Does this have to be our first discussion after weeks of being out from home?" he todd said in mock annoyance.

"Yeah, just wondering why you couldn't have just died instead." She jested light heartedly, Nick simply chuckled and enveloped Judy with his body, she returned the gesture by snuggling deeper into the fur of his chest.

"That's very mean of you Carrots."

"Someone's being sensitive," she teased.

"Well, it is autumn, and I am a fox…" he glanced down at the fluff of grey fur that was bundle beneath him, "…if you know what I mean." An alluring purr sounded from his throat sending a shiver down the doe's spine.

"That's disgusting Nick." She pushed herself free from his grasp and took a seat next to him on the bed. "But in all seriousness, why did the other victims die if the drug if you didn't?"

The fox wobbled slightly as the butterflies in his stomach slowly subsided, "if my hunch is right, which it always is, the victims didn't directly die of the drug," he tapped a finger over his chest as he continued to explain, "they died of a cardiac arrest."

The bunny was absolutely confused at his deduction, "I understand we ruled out a fire and instead explained the pain and burning sensation as due to the capsaicin, but a heart attack? Where did that come from?"

"Hmm, looks like someone didn't study," he wiggled a finger as he teased, "capsaicin raises the blood pressure and heart rate when directly exposed to the bloodstream, so the victims' hearts couldn't handle the stress and just gave way." He wore a proud smirk as Judy eyed him in awe.

"And the blisters?"

"Poison Ivy. I thought you would have caught on with that." The gaze he sent at the doe's direction was as though she had let him down, most likely because she did in a way caused him some dissatisfaction, _why did she have to push me away, I was getting comfy with the cuddle…_

"Wow, way to stereotype the farmer. Actually, that kinda explains the blisters on the tip of my paws…" Judy stole a glance at her paws just to see that her fur had hidden the small scars caused by the blisters, she was very thankful that it did. "So… that's it? Case closed?"

Nick sighed as he dreaded answering her question. "We wouldn't know for sure till we get them…" his ears fell as a clear sign of distress, but a reassuring paw reached for his ears and carefully massaged it.

"Don't worry Nick, we'll get them in no time." She pressed into his fluffy ears causing him to melt into a puddle, _man that feels good…_

"Of course we will." He smiled as he laid down against Judy's lap.

" _Just look over your shoulder…"_ the doe's ear perked at the sweet voice of her fox. " _Just look over your shoulder…"_ it was the same song he sang that day, " _Just look over your shoulder…"_ she smiled back at the reassurance their unbreakable promise gave. " _I'll be there…"_

" _Always…"_


	21. Your Heart Will Lead You Home

**#21 Your Heart Will Lead You Home - The Tigger Movie**

"How? How does one live with so much guilt and shame bottled inside?"

"I don't know, why don't you tell me?" Nick pointed an accusing finger at the older mammal who was standing on the balcony of his home. Where were they at the moment? Probably this old animal's house, who knows? Not the fox in question that's for sure. "You tell me how you've managed to live two decades without a single thought of regret? You abandoned your family, you left it all just to pursue, what, your happiness? Isn't your family what brings you the most joy? Isn't it so you cruel heartless-"

"Is it true?" the elder mammal questioned, "is it true that I left my family to chase after joy? Tell me, are you certain that is the truth?" The animal on the raised platform planted his paws on the railing and leaned towards the vulpine just outside the door of his house, a puzzling look spread across his face as he gazed on the younger todd. "Do you even remember that night?"

"How could I ever forget?" he scoffed and brought his arms across his chest, his hackles began to raise and a deep growl started rumbling in his throat; this old beast was starting to get on his nerves, every single one of them.

"Really? Never forgotten huh? That's a lot of pain and doubt to carry around."

"You don't know what it means to be hurt so badly, so I suggest you shut your yapping before I snap, because I tell you when I snap you are going to wish I didn't," Nick, in uneven breaths, warned the other party at hand, his blood began to boil at sheer anger. Why though? Was the mammal before him getting to him because he was just really annoying, or was it due to the fact that his words carried such a great degree of truth, truth that all he has believed in and all he has come to accept was a lie.

"Ok, fine." The elder mammal supported his arms against the railing and leaned onto it, his tail swished gently behind him as his ears perked towards the guest in front of the gate. "You," he pointed a clawed digit at the fox below, "tell me how the story goes."

"You know the story so much better than I, don't you? So why bother wasting my breath?"

"Just tell it you stubborn ass," his said sternly in a cold manner.

"Fine, fine, you win, yay good for you!" his voice dripped with sarcasm as he drew circles with his finger in mockery, "so here's the thing; old mammal comes home after an entire year of being away from those who care for him and just walks into the room without saying a single word!? Unbelievable!" Nick threw his paws in the air. "Then, concerned, his caring wife goes to counsel the heartless animal and the said mammal, surprisingly not to my surprise, displays violence and starts abusing her? Are you even sane!?" More anger brewed in the fox as he recalled the sound of shattering glass, he remembers running into the room just to see his mother in tears, and his father, the filthy abomination before him, standing idle by her side. "For an entire year you disappeared and you think you can pop back up and harass mom!?" The older fox's ears perked higher as he listened intently.

"Is that what you got from one frame of the scene?" The young todd's scowl faltered slightly at his retort. "Please, continue."

"That's about it really."

"That's about it? Really? Because I recall a sequel to this play." He tapped a finger on his chin repetitively. "A certain youngster running away after taking a glimpse of what seems to be domestic violence." Locking his gaze with Nick's emerald orbs, the fox dug his claws into the metal support, "Did you see what happened after that scene?"

"Well, no-"

"Did you bother asking what happened?"

"I did try!"

"But you still didn't." he raised a finger in an act of dominating the submissive child. "Did you even think about your mother when you left through that door? Did you!?"

"I-"

"Exactly, Nick." He turned around and headed towards the door. "So, who was the one who left their family behind?" he turned back to steal a glance at the tearing vulpine. "And how does one live with so much guilt and shame?" He turned his back away and headed straight into the house. "I think you would know so much better than I…"

Nick's feet grew heavy as he began sinking into the sand beneath his feet. He struggled to keep his eyes above the waves which started enveloping the soft sand, but it was to no avail as he was wholly consumed into the ground. The fox took one last gulp of air and sank into the soil before shooting back up from where he laid. Darting his gaze wildly, he scanned the room he was in; still, peaceful, as tranquil as how they have left it before they let sleep overcome their fatigue beings. He turned to his side and, much to his relief, saw Judy lying comfortably underneath the thick blankets, rapid panting reduced to steady breaths as he took sight of his companion. He sighed. Pushing away from the sheets the todd paced towards a window and took in the sight before him; spots of white descended gracefully from the heavens above, coating the land with a thick layer of pure white.

"Oh boy," he groaned, "here we go again..."

…

…

"WOW!" Judy Hopps hopped across the winter wonderland with much glee and energy, it wasn't the first time she had experienced snow, yet for some reason she was always overjoyed to feel the crusty ice beneath her feet and the icy snowflakes on her fur. Her partner however was not as amused as she was, in fact he seemed rather distant at the moment. "Nick! It's beautiful!"

"Yeah, sure is," he deadpanned before taking a sip from the hot coffee in his paw.

"Aww Nick, don't be such a spoilt sport. Let's go ice skating! C'mon it'll be fun!"

"You go on ahead fluff; I'll just hang around," he tried to sound as calm as he could, but his twitching ears betrayed his wary thoughts.

"Nick..." the doe rushed to his side and clasped his arm with her paw. "You good?" he stopped pacing momentarily, then got back to walking ahead.

"Wish I am..." he took another gulp from his beverage.

"Lemme guess, it's your mating season, isn't it?" she pushed him at his side but he was unshaken, in both physical terms and in his thoughts. "Don't worry, it's normal to get all cranky and grumpy when you're fully hormonal and in the heat." She teased with a smirk, but got the cold shoulder from the vulpine in response. "Besides, it isn't that bad. All this moodiness would have been taken as a good sign by our ancestors; it meant that we are ready and physically equipped to start a family, how great's that!?"

The fox slammed his empty cup into the trash can near him and tugged his paws back into his pockets, he took in a deep breath before turning back to the bunny. "Could you just leave me alone!" he clenched his paw which he had unknowingly raised. "Just!... Never mind…" he let out a shaky breath, "not like you'd understand anyways…" Nick muttered softly before dissolving into the cohesive crowd.

"Nick!" the bunny ran after her fox, but he quickly vanished from her sight. "Was it something I said?" she stopped her pursuit, utterly confused and astonished at his outburst.

The weather was beautiful, it really was, however Nick would have enjoyed it much better if it weren't for the angst that was beginning to overwhelm his restless mind. "Stupid snow," he kicked a bundle of ice that was in the middle of the path. "Stupid winter," he turned around and gave the pile of snow yet another blow. "Stupid dreams!" he tried to kick the snow again, but his paw landed on a patch of smooth ice, causing him to slip and fall. He would have broken a bone if it weren't for the snow cushioning his fall, he was mildly thankful for that, mildly, but thankful nonetheless. The fox remained on the ground as he let out a sigh, "maybe I'm the stupid one after all," he thought out aloud, the words from the dream ringed through his head like a broken record:

" _So, who was the one who left their family behind?"_

"… _the one who left their family behind?"_

"… _who left their family behind?"_

"… _left their family behind?"_

"I DON'T KNOW, OKAY!?" Nick snapped, frightening several bystanders that so happened to walk pass the conflicted canine, embarrassment was evident as a warm blush spread all over his face. The vulpine calmly sat back down and pretended as though nothing had happened, the passers-by seemed to have gotten the cue as they began to walk away to allow the fox some space. _I'm definitely losing it…_ he shook his head disapprovingly. _What… what if he's right?_ A troublesome thought spawned as he began to ride his train of thoughts, _what if I WAS the one who left, what if he didn't leave just 'for fun' but instead had a very legitimate reason to do so…_ his gaze was fixated at a rock in front of him, but his mind was in a completely different realm. _But, what if he's wrong? What if he DID leave us? What if I was right all along?_ A headache started to work its way to his head as he rubbed his temples. "I don't even know which is worse…" he decided to cease his thoughts, lest he falls into a deep emotional abyss. The fox inhaled deeply as he felt a cold chill travel through his nostrils and into his lungs, it was somewhat refreshing and soothing, so he did it several more times.

"Nick…" a warm paw cupped his cheeks and lifted his head from its down casted position, "tell me, what's wrong?" Judy's ears drooped against her skull as tears welled up in her eye, she hated it when Nick kept things from her, especially when those things start eating him from the inside and caused him to distant himself from her. "Let me share that burden," she rubbed her paw over his heart, earning several scowls from passing onlookers. The fox noticed the disapproving looks they received, so he got up from the ground and started walking back home. Judy followed him on his flank, but he didn't brush her away or pick up his pace, so she assumed he intended for her to follow him, and so she did.

The journey home was in complete silence, even the merry squealing of children and upbeat music blasting from the stores nearby couldn't relieve the unnerving atmosphere between the couple, in fact it only added to the already heavy tension. After entering the house and locking the door behind them, Nick's façade fell almost instantly as he wrapped himself around Judy and began to weep. The tears he held back rolled freely down his cheeks soaking both his and the doe's fur, and for a long moment they simply relished in each other's presence.

"Nick-"

"Shh," the vulpine shushed her, "just… don't, please," he begged, shaking from the emotional trauma that had him wounded. _Poor thing…_ she thought, not for the first time that day, and that troubled her greatly. The bunny continually rubbed the back of his ear until his sniffles reduced to soft purrs; it is a lesser known secret that canines have a soft spot just behind their ears that, when caressed, helps ease their unrest. She knew that, and she was more than willing to take advantage of it if it means helping Nick cope with the pain.

"Better?"

"Yeah," Nick said, finding that he was finally able to smile again, "thanks." He smiled wide, and so did she.

"So, what's all this fuss about?" she gestured at Nick playfully, the fox chuckled nervously in response. He wished he could brush it all off as him being extremely touchy and sensitive, but he doubts Judy will buy any of his lies, her being so persistent and, dare he say, stubborn, so he reached into his pocket and produced a photograph from his wallet. He passed the picture to Judy and leaned against the door. "Is this…"

"My dad, and my mom," he sighed and shut his eyes, "this was taken a year before I ran away from home." The rabbit looked at the photo again, then turned her attention back to Nick, beckoning him to continue. "It was taken right before my father just suddenly vanished. For an entire year, he didn't make any contact with us, he didn't even visit us during my, or my mother's, birthdays," he said, disappointment evident in his tone. "Then one fine winter, he returned. There was a ruckus going on in the room he and mom shared, so I stayed obediently in my room." The memory replayed itself as he brought Judy into his embrace. "I took a peek into their room when I heard them call my name several times, but what I saw was mom crying on the floor next to a pile of shattered glass while dad just stood there idly." He was shaking again, the suppressed fears began to reveal itself as he told the story, Judy tried to reach for his ears, but his tight grip on her prevented her from doing so. "I was so afraid… I thought they had a big fight because of me, so... so…"

"So you left." The vulpine released the doe.

"That's right, I left. It wasn't him… It was me..." Nick pulled Judy back towards him, "I left my family…"

"Dumb fox, don't say that." She hugged him as he cried, comforting him once again by stroking his back. "One thing I know about parents; they love their children, and they'll welcome them home anytime," she sat back up and leaned onto his shoulders, a faint smile tugged on his lips as she planted a small kiss on his forehead.

"But how can you be so sure? For 2 decades I've never seen or heard from him, what makes you so sure that he'll welcome me back with open arms?"

"Because he cares for you, Nick." With gleamy hues and teary eyes, Nick reached for the photograph in Judy's paw, except it wasn't the photo that touched his heart, but a message that was scribbled at the back. "Because nothing can take the place a father's love." The fox rubbed his face and got up from the ground, a soft tune soon came from his pocket as he reached for his phone.

"You're right," he finally said, "it's been a long time, and we've waited enough..." he looked at the bright screen of his phone where a message was displayed, on it was an address, one which Nick had searched for for years. "Let's go meet my dad."

…

…

Numbered doors passed by their sight as they walked down the empty hall, a strong stench of antiseptics and disinfectants struck their senses while their eyes darted about in search of room 280. The fox's gaze landed on the intended target; a room situated at the very end of the corridor. He nudged Judy's side and pointed at the room, they then made their way towards it. An emotional tempest that had subsided soon rekindled itself as he recalled the message his father had left him:

" _Nick, I know it's fox culture that their children leave the nest once they are sufficiently mature, but you don't have to do this. I know why you're really leaving, it's because of me isn't it? I'm so sorry."_ A tear trickled down. _"With that said, I will respect the decision you made, but it's winter now so please:_ _Dress warmly… eat well… stay safe and sound… keep smiling… and remember, we'll always be there for you. Sign, your family."_

The fox pressed on the handle and let the door creak open, emerald orbs locked on green hues as another tear fell.

"Dad… I'm home."


	22. Reflection

**#22 Reflection - Mulan**

"I'm home… dad," the fox muttered, finding himself on the verge of tears again as he looked his father in the eye. The older mammal stared at his unexpected guests for a brief moment, then got off the bed and paced towards the duo. Wearing a neutral expression that revealed nothing of his current thoughts, he towered over the younger vulpine without breaking eye contact. He stood in silence, neither mammals voiced the thoughts in their heads, the fox then raised a paw and struck the young todd on his shoulder.

"Stupid, stubborn ass," he hit him again. Nick's heart shattered that very instant, but she stood his ground, speechless and greatly troubled as several more light punches were thrown at him, but all thoughts ceased when the older vulpine threw his arms around him. "Where have you been all this time!?" he asked through sobs, "I've missed you…" streams of tears flowed down his scruffy cheeks as he tightened his hold on the younger fox; on Nick; on his son. Both canines embraced each other and began weeping, the older of the two vigorously nuzzled the other as they remained entwined. Nothing was said for a very long moment, their physical contact alone conveyed all the emotions that they felt; all the sorrow, the pain, and the relief and joy, joy that they finally had each other again.

 _All this time, all these years,_

 _Doubts I've held on for so long._

 _All the grief, all the tears,_

 _All the while so very wrong._

"I missed you too…" the todd replied, unable to control himself as he started to quiver. The elderly fox enveloped himself around his child and began to soothe him in the most sweet and comforting manner, what else would you expect from a loving father?

 _His touch, his face,_

 _All the details oh so fine._

 _His soothing, his embrace,_

 _All I thought I've left behind._

"You should have come home, why didn't you? You know we will always love you, right? That _I_ will always love you?" his tender paw stroked the back of his kit, reassuring him that all was well again now that he's back.

 _Never did it cross my mind,_

 _That you are all I need,_

 _To come to know that all is fine,_

 _And all is well indeed._

"I know dad, I know, I just..." he had no excuse, he was dumb and naive, unable to see the whole picture. But now, he has come to accept the fact that a father would never abandon his child, and that he was wrong, and it was alright to be wrong. And now:

"Now I know just what to do,

To be right here, right next to you.

For all the moments that we have missed,

Let's spend our days in perfect bliss."

Both father and son smiled at each other.

"As a father, I have to say,

That you're so young in so many ways.

But I for one am here to stay…"

He tussled the tuff of fur on Nick's head and planted a soft kiss on his damp cheeks.

"I'll guide you throughout all your days."

They shared another hug and yet another smile before breaking off and heading back through the door. The intense emotional moment passed as the three animals walked back into the room, upon noticing and acknowledging the rabbit that was with the todd, an awkward atmosphere quickly filled the room as a thick fog. "So…" the older fox lying on the bed started, hoping to liven up the tense mood, "who's your friend here?"

"Sorry for not introducing myself earlier," the bunny replied before Nick could answer the question, she felt the strong need to introduce herself, lest Nick embarrasses her in front of his father, "I'm Judy Hopps."

"Ah, the first bunny cop! To what do I owe the pleasure? Did my son get into any trouble?" Nick's face lit up when he heard the word 'son', not that anyone else noticed it, Judy on the other hand immediately raised her paws to prevent further misunderstandings.

"No no, not at all Mr Wilde, in fact…" she turned to Nick, who appeared to be bubbling with joy, "you haven't told him yet?" he snapped his neck towards the doe and shook of the emotions that were welling up within him.

"What?" the older red fox cocked his head towards the bunny, then turned his attention to his child. "Tell me what?" confusion and curiosity was evident as he spoke, Nick pinned his ears down and sheepishly chuckled.

"Heh heh, remember that time when I really wanted to join the Junior Ranger Scouts?"

"Uh huh," he nodded, unclear where this was headed.

"Well I kinda managed to reach that lifelong dream- I joined the ZPD." He was shocked.

"I'm sorry? Could you repeat that? Funny, because I thought I just heard you say you are with the ZPD-"

"I am, dad." He cupped his paws around his father's, "I'm in the ZPD." His father's muzzle was agape as he processed what he has just heard; his son, a fox who decided to embrace the stereotypes and social stigmas that their species held and live a life of a con mammal, have now, after two whole decades of not keeping in touch with him, turned over a new leaf and stepped to the other side of the law. Only one word could summarise all that was going through his mind.

"Wow." His gaze met Nick's again as he glanced over him; the fox looked exactly like himself when he was in his thirties; the colour of his pelt, the hue of his eyes, the cream fur that lined his abdomen, all seemed to have a striking resemblance, save for his black tipped tail which he got from his mother. "How long has it been?"

"Hmm, probably two or three, maybe four years… five years at the most." His memory failed him as he attempted to recall the exact date when he officially joined the blue-blooded family. "Sorry I didn't invite you to my graduat-"

"Your mother will be proud." Nick's smile faltered at his words, he was hoping his father wouldn't bring him up because the way he saw it, that would only dampen the mood. "Nicholas." He tilted the fox's head up from its down casted position. "Your mother will be so, so proud." Wordlessly, Nick brought his head back down, he wished he could avoid this talk, but it seems almost inevitable.

"About that… I have some questions for you, about all that has led to this; about that night." A lump began to form in his throat as he was overtaken with emotions.

"Oh boy." It appears that even his father was dreading this moment as well, "where do I begin?"

"Well for starters, you can explain why in the world you sudDENLY DISAPPEARED FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR!" he snapped towards a paw that has reached his thigh, Judy's paw to be exact. He drew a deep breath to calm himself down. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I know you've been living all your life wondering why I had left the family, I know you've had had so much doubt and pain thinking about that very night, but I do have my reasons."

"And what's that?" he said sceptically, crossing his arms around his chest as he did so.

"I was seeking treatment." Nick's arms fell to his side. "Why do you think we're in this room right now?" he gesticulated at the room as Nick's eyes followed his paw, all he could see were plain coloured walls and a small potted flower on a table beside his bed. "I was diagnosed with cancer." And with that his world fell apart. "We didn't want to trouble you, so we made a decision that I would go for therapy by myself and hopefully it'll all be fine again."

Nick held back a tear as he pressed on for answers. "So why are we still here? You went for your therapy, right?" the fox in question was silent.

"Not all stories end in a merry tone." His voice was deep and covered with emotions, "same goes for my condition, and for your mother…"

"Darn it why did you have to bring her into this!" Nick broke out in tears and immediately sought refuge in Judy's embrace, much to the older vulpine's surprise, but he can question that later. The room then went quiet, only the sound a weeping child echoed between the walls, Judy employed her soothing strokes, hoping he would fine comfort in her touch.

"Can… can you give us a minute?" the doe shyly asked before escorting Nick towards the bathroom. She twisted the knob of tha tap and allowed the tranquil sound of flowing water to fill the air. The fox broke off from Judy and supported himself in front of the mirror.

"She's gone… because of me…" tears fell as he stared at his reflection; he looked so much like his father, yet all he ever did was brought harm and pain to the family. "Wouldn't it have been better if they never had me?" his voice cracked as he cried, "All the while my father was only doing good for the family, and all I ever did was tear it apart!" The fox turned back to the mirror and sniffled, "the resemblance is uncanny, but I am nothing like my dad, then why…" he brushed off his tears, "why can't my reflection show, who I am inside?" His father watched from outside.


	23. Barking At The Moon

**#23 Barking at The Moon - Bolt**

There they were again in the room, the oldest of the three on the bed and the younger two sharing a rather large chair just before to the bedside table. The tense atmosphere failed to be lifted as they found themselves unable to look each other in the eye, rather, all eyes were casted down towards the plain white tiles on the floor. Outside the building, the winds have picked up and a storm of ice and snow began to brew; it seems that nature has caught on with events that have taken place and decided to mimic the storm that was rampaging within Nick's weary mind. The bitter cold from the air outdoors seeped through the creeks of the window eliciting a shiver from Judy, the other two canines were not affected though; their winter coats have done them great service.

It has been at least half an hour since anyone has said or done anything to the other party, the only noticeable movements were the gentle strokes administered by the bunny towards the slouching fox. Throughout this time of silence, Nick, with the comforting touch from Judy, was able to calm himself after his emotional moment, that is if his steady breathing and consistent beating heart was anything to go by. Very discretely he turned his head towards the doe and inhaled deeply, trying his best to catch her intoxicating yet soothing scent, but the dry air proved to be an obstacle as his nose became numb just after three mere breathes, so he decided to do without the sweet aroma he grew to love.

Judy on the other hand did not have much going through her thoughts, all she had in mind was ensuring that her loved one felt safe and secure. Her ears drooped below her shoulders to suit the mood, but her strong and determined demeanour did not waver.

A few more seconds ticked by before an audible sigh came from the fox lying on the bed, this got the attention of the young couple as their ears perked towards the sound. Finally after all this time, they found the need to kill the dreadful atmosphere.

"Could you..." the elderly vulpine started speaking specifically towards the bunny who was still patting Nick's back.

"A minute? Sure, I'll just step out for a moment," she untangled herself from the embrace and leaped off the chair, but before she could move any further, the fox got off the bed and paced towards her.

"No, I think it'd be better if you stay here; don't want you getting a cold in this weather," he said with a smile, "c'mon Nick, I think we should get some fresh air." He gestured at the todd, who in turn stared at him momentarily before making his way to his side, only then did both foxes left the room. Silently and wordlessly, they walked out from the room, Nick in his defensive stance where his arms slung in front of him and his father with his paws placed firmly behind his back, a posture that radiates a sense of power, confidence, and authority. The walk to the garden outside the building was a rather slow one as the older of the two had some difficulties in his locomotion. Rather than heeding his father's instructions to "go on ahead", Nick decided to stay by his side, supporting him all the way as they walked through the corridor, down the stairs, and exited through the doors of the hospital.

Upon reaching the facade of the hospital, they were greeted by blistering winds that coursed through their thick fur, they would have instantly frozen into fox pawpsicles if it weren't for their comfy pelts. The harsh conditions continued in great severity as both mammals made their way towards a bench situated by a small yet beautiful little garden, it featured a vast variety of evergreen plants ranging from pines to lavenders and even several species of oak trees. Now that Nick took a second to assess the area, the supposedly small garden seemed more of a forest reserve than a humble patch of plants, Nick let out a soft "wow" as he skimmed through the many species of flora before his eyes, admiration was written all over his face. Snapping away from his moment of amazement, he turned back to lead his father towards the bench. There they both sat next to each other, once again silent, once again lost for words.

"Nicholas." The young reynard turned to face the other fox, "understand that whatever happened to your mother was not your fault."

"Yeah? Then who am I to blame?" Nick retorted, evidently irked that his mother was brought back into the discussion again, "at least tell me what happened and who did it!" his tone rose gradually as his heart rate picked up. Nick let out a sigh before continuing, "please." The elderly mammal nodded, brought his muzzle towards his ear and whispered into it, the anger that once took place on Nick's face melted into one of shock as he listened intently to his father's very word. He retracted away with a gasp as he allowed whatever that was said to sink in, there was nothing that can be said or done, so all he did was stare at the other vulpine's orbs in horror.

"Now you know," the old fox sighed, "so do your best to uphold the law in this city, prove to them that a fox can be more that what they are said to be." He reached for his child's paws and cupped them in his own, "justify the actions they took towards your mother, or at least prove to me that not all cops are like them." He gazed back at Nick, hoping that whatever he was saying was getting through into his head. "Prove that there is still good in this world." He scooted closer towards the young todd and wrapped himself around him, Nick returned the loving hug with a hum of approval.

"I will dad, I promise." They remained in each other's embrace as the day seemed to have warmed just a little; the bone chilling gales that brought bitterness and pain now feel like a cooling breeze running through their cheeks, who knew the reynard would enjoy a day like this day? The air was cold and dry, but it carried an atmosphere he has dearly missed, an atmosphere of love, serenity, and peace.

"Heh heh, c'mon champ." The older fox got up from the bench, yet he refused to let his child's paws go, "Let's head back into the warmth." His statement, at least to Nick, was both a literal and a metaphorical one, yes they are merely walking back into the hospital where the heaters were, but to Nick it also meant going back to the fire that burns within every family; the warmth of being home. "Say, why do I pick up a strong lavender aroma whenever I get this close to you?" Nick chuckled at his words.

"Oh boy," a smirk found its way across his muzzle, "you're gonna love this one."

…

…

A couple of days have passed since Nick first reunited with his father, and he, as well as Judy, has been visiting the old fox every single day ever since. The father and son were practically inseparable whenever they were in each other's presence, this brought much joy and relief to the doe but it also tugged on some of her strings, one of which, quite new to her, was jealousy.

"I mean, sure, they haven't met since he left so I guess it's perfectly normal…" she mumbled to herself as she laid restlessly on the bed, she shoved herself up from her lying position to acquire information about her fox's whereabouts. "Still talking on the phone, understandable, but that better be his dad and not any other vixen or else-"

"Or else what, Fluff?" Nick yelled from outside the room, his phone still pressed against the side of his head as shot a challenging grin and the pouting bunny. "Oh yes I would definitely love that, I'll meet you ten in the morning tomorrow, just me, you, my sweetheart..." Judy was very certain that Nick was on the line with his dad, yet she began to grow sceptical and suspicious, a fuzzy feeling of anger and longing overwhelmed her as she listened to the fox's conversation. "Alright, good night, love you too sweetie!" the vulpine kissed into the speaker before disconnecting the call, he then turned back to look at Judy, but she had flopped to the other side of the bed; her bare back was all that he could make out in the dimly lit room. After placing his phone on the table, he shook off the clothing bound around himself and made his way towards the doe, snuggling beside her as he lazy draped an arm over her small frame. Judy brushed off the arm and moved away from the fox. "Aww, is the wittle bwunny angwy? C'mon Carrots, tell me what I did wrong."

"YOU-!" Judy shot up to face the fox in question with an accusing finger, but she soon stopped; she had no reason to be angry, the innocent glow in his eyes only added to her confliction.

"I?" he offered, eager to hear her say with her own lips how much envy she felt, how much longing she held for her dearly beloved. "C'mon Carrots, it isn't that difficult, what did I do wrong?" he beckoned an answer from the doe, his tone was stern and cold, but years of living with him has taught Judy that underneath the seemingly hostile voice hid his playful nature, the one he always held when they had their flirtatious banters.

"You weren't giving me enough attention," she mumbled under her breath.

"I'm sorry what was that? I can't really hear you, it's too dark." He had a stupid smile plastered over his muzzle as he held a paw over his ear as though he was trying to enhance his hearing. The rabbit huffed in annoyance, but a giggle started surfacing as she did her best to supress it.

"Quit it Slick." She pushed him away and burst into laughter, embarrassment soon hit her as she curled herself into a grey fur ball and laid inanimately under the sheets.

"Aww, wittle bunny needs some love?" her blushed deepened at how suggestive Nick sounded, the words were pure and unblemished, but it felt nothing like that. He bunny snug deeper into the blanket in hopes of hiding the sheer redness on her ears and cheeks, she doubts he could see it despite him having night vision, but she had to be safe. Her plan failed to work as the fox sensed the heat she was emitting, he chuckled deeply and hugged her once again. "My my Carrots, for the countless time this year, foxy got your tongue." Judy tilted her head towards the underside of his muzzle as she tried to make a comeback, before she could voice her thoughts she found herself in a passionate and heated kiss with the todd. It happened to suddenly yet so naturally, but instead of deepening into it she withdrew away from it, not wanting to lose the last of her lucidity and self control in the presence of the charming fox. "That's what I call tongue tied." He teased and gave her a knowing wink. "I guess we'll stop here; your heart's about to burst into shreds."

"Yes! Thanks for noticing, or I'll be next one in the hospital bed."

"Then you'll get the attention you need, no?" the fox offered a large smile, "from the hospital staff that is." She giggled chirpily.

"Quit it, seriously, we need to get some rest for tomorrow. And what exactly are we gonna do tomorrow?"

"We'll probably take dad out to a park, by the lake, deep in the woods, by a certain oak tree..." Nick trailed off, wishing Judy would piece the puzzle on her own, which she did much to his relief.

"Noted." She shifted closer to his side and nuzzled into his muzzle, a low growl of approval rumbled in his throat as she did so. "Let's some rest now sweetheart."

"Heh heh, 'sweetheart'? I could get used to that." And with that their conversation died down into silence. Sleep overtook them as they laid on the bed, entwined with each other, hearts beating as one.

…

…

"Where are we headed Nicholas? Nicholas? Ms. Hopps do you mind enlightening me?" the elderly fox asked. Neither mammal responded. "Nicholas you know very well that it's very rude to disregard a mammal like that. Nicholas! Do you hear me?" Nick groaned internally.

"Yes dad, I know, but it's a secret so please," he said to his father who was seated at the hind chairs of the car; Judy had taken the shotgun seat, "we'll get there when we get there." The car sped down the highway and made a sharp left, it continued on towards the Rainforest district, but it will still take a few more moments before they would reach their destination,

"So..." the eldest said, "about this thing between you and Ms Hopps right here..." the younger mammals cringed simultaneously, though they knew this topic of discussion was ultimately inevitable, all they could was hope that he would take it more easily than Stu and Bonnie. Judy thought that Nick had spilled the beans the very first day they met, but apparently he didn't, his silver tongue and sly words had somehow satisfied his father's curiosity about the relationship of the duo without really delving into the truth. "You've marked her, haven't you?" Nick's shoulders fell slightly as the doe glared at her partner in horror.

"You... marked me!?"

"Well..." Nick scratched the tuff of fur behind his neck, searching to relief the itch that came with the embarrassing and somewhat humiliating revelation. "I mean, you did... y'know..." The elderly fox watched on as the couple held their discussion, smirking ever so slightly as the bunny threw a few punches at the mammal on the wheel.

"So you think it is acceptable for a fox and a rabbit, a predator and a prey, to become one in marriage?" he interrupted, gaining nervous glances from the said mammals, both grew silent as they waited for the impending doom that fell upon them. "Do you, Nicholas, think this is acceptable?"

"I mean, I love her so-"

"Answer the question, do you or do you not?"

"I do, and-"

"And to Ms Hopps, or rather Judy, do you think it is an acceptable pairing?"

"I do," she said sheepishly.

"I see, then I hope those will be the exact words you say when both of you walk down the aisle." Nick was ready to quip, but he halted half way to slowly process what he had heard.

"I'm... I'm sorry?" he looked at his father as he almost lost control of the car, lucky for him the roads were empty, or he would've hit a neighbouring car.

"You have my blessings, Nick, just make sure you take good care of her." A genuine smile spread across his muzzle, he wished for nothing more than his son to be happy. "And for you Judy..." he reached from the backseat and placed a paw on her shoulder, "take good care of my son, he's a sensitive bundle of emotions."

"Dad..." the three mammals shared a hearty laugh Nick's amber fur turned several tones darker. It was moments like this that Nick really missed, the times where there were no worries, just fun, joy, and family.

"Well, now that my son has found a lover, I can finally leave in peace..." the words hung in the air as the atmosphere became sombre, the realisation that his father could leave him any minute dragged him back down from being in the clouds, but such is life.

"Dad, do not ever say that. You'll be fine, I just know it."

"Hmm, I may not have nine lives as the felines do, but I can surely say that I've lived a good one." He continued, ignoring the side comments his child was making.

"Correction, 'am going to live', you are going to live a good one. Plus, cat don't really have nine lives, it's just a myth."

"You don't say," He quipped, sarcasm overflowing in his speech. "So! When will we be reaching this place that you've kept as a secret?" the car screeched to a halt just as he finished his sentence.

"We're here," Nick noted, "exits are to the left, we hope to see you again someday. Thank you for flying with Nick Air."

"Thank you for not killing us," Judy retorted, earning a sneer from the fox, but it was all in a playful manner. They got off the car and blindly paced around the field, did I mention that it was still dawn and the sun has yet to rise? Oh well, now you know. Father and son coped pretty well with the dimmed lighting, but Judy struggled with the lack of sight, so she entrusted herself to Nick. The trio made their way to a rather familiar scene, familiar to Nick and Judy that is; an area of land with a pond situated in the centre and a young oak tree growing just beside it, the water, surprisingly not frozen, fed and nurtured the plant, allowing to flourish despite the extreme cold.

"What's this?" Mr Wilde asked as he took a good look at the tree, it was about his height and had many leaves growing from its short branches. He picked a leaf and examined it, not truly understanding the significance of this place.

"Waif for it..." Nick glanced at his watch, then looked to the sky; warm rays of red and yellow protruded from the horizon, bringing light to the blind, Judy, and all living creatures that dwelt in this habitat. "Pretty ain't it?" he sounded innocent and honestly thrilled, which the bunny found very cute.

"Indeed it is," he old fox said, and it was a beautiful sight indeed; the sun rose from the east while the moon set on the west, light from both the weaker and stronger celestial body met in the centre of the sky causing a gradient of vibrant colours to form. "Astounding," he noted, "but what's this?" Gesturing at the oak plant, Mr Wilde stepped under the shed the plant provided and rubbed on the bark, "this seems rather... out of place."

"Indeed it is," Judy matched the fox's tone, "we planted it there." Pride lingered in her words; living in the country side has cultivated a love for gardening in the urbanised doe, and it always brought great joy to see new life sprouting from the ground by the works of your own paws. Her father was right, gardening is a noble profession.

"Yeah we sure did. It's a tribute to mom." The elderly vulpine snapped his neck towards his child, but his paws remained on the trunk of the tree. "Ever wonder where mom took my for my birthdays? Well here's your answer." Nick panned a paw at the surrounding they were in, it was a humble place, yet it carried so much meaning and priceless memories. It was an emotional moment for the canines, but neither decided to show it. In silence they grouped under the tree and shared a hug.

"There's so much I don't know about you, Nicholas, and there's so much I have to offer, yet so little time... You should have come home earlier, Nicky."

"I know, dad. I just needed some time to truly find where I belong, but now I think it's crystal clear..." he turned to Judy and pulled her into the shared embrace, "there's no other home like this one." The family cuddled together as the day grew old. They broke off after awhile, but remained in the emotionally charged mood.

"There are many colours in life, some bright and promising, some dull and bleak, sad to say that the colour we've been in a lot, is blue..." a tear trickled down his cheek as he looked up to the oak tree, "but I see hopeful days ahead of us, so let's pursue that." He got up on his feet and walked away from the tree, "I've got a feeling we'll be back here again soon." He took one last glance at the environment, then turned back to Nick and Judy, "come children, let's go home."

…

…

"I can't believe it Nick! How could you? You didn't even tell me anything about it!"

"I had to okay! I didn't want another buck ogling all over you!"

"We could have at least talked it out! Nick! Don't turn your back on me-" lips lock as Judy was completely silenced, not even a hum escaped her trapped snout, unlike the events last night, she failed to resist the longing urge that came with every kiss. "Nick..."

"Heh heh, I know, I should really stop." She nodded, her brain malfunctioning from the surge of oxytocin. "Well, my life was pretty messed up, and I was in a lot of trouble, especially with Mr Big. That all changed the day I met you." A loving gaze was sent from predator to prey

"Your dad was right, you're nothing more than an emotional bundle of fur."

"At least I'm _your_ bundle of emotional bundle of fur," both shared a smile at how true that seemed, "now that you're completely fine with me marking you and all, there's only one more thing to do."

"And what's- Nick, what are you doing?" the doe was taken aback as the fox enveloped his entire self around her, only her ears were allowed out from his grasp. The vulpine looked to the ceiling and let out a weird noise, it seemed like a hybrid between a bark, a growl, and the engine of a car, never has Judy's ears laid upon this peculiar sound.

"A bunny embraced by a fox that's barking at the moon, I wonder what it means."

"Oh ho, you know exactly what it means..." his glowing green pupils reduced into mere slits, a phenomenon that was new to his partner, it portrayed all the raw instincts contained within himself, some of which he had to push aside, lest they do anything stupid that can jeopardise their relationship. With a low growl and a soft chuckle, his intentions were clear, " _Mine_..."

There they laid, wrapped in each other as sleep began to take a hold, oblivious and unprepared for all that was coming their way the next day.


	24. Circle Of Life

**#24 Circle of Life - Lion King**

"Such is life…" said the oldest fox to his children as he laid on the hospital bed, the pred-prey duo remained in solemn silence as they pondered upon his words. The current topic of this heated discussion? Unfair price spikes for the tasteless and outright disgusting hospital food. Sure they were organic and good for nourishment, but its bland nature was surely a turn off; what good is nutrition when you can't even get yourself to swallow it? "...what you need may not be what you want, but what can we do but comply?"

"We can get you a buggaburger."

"..."

"..."

"... that would be nice." This got the mammals in a burst of laughter, the awkward pause and contemplative yet conflicted look on the elderly fox really brought great humour and life to the conversation. "But the food here does remind me of the days of old, when flavour means nothing and all we wanted was to survive." The vulpine seemed distant as he looked at the door with an unfocused gaze, he wore a blank expression as memories of a distant past came into mind. "Have I told you about the time when we ate sticks as substituted for luxurious stick bugs? I was still a cub when that happened, it was the year 19…"

"Here we go again," Nick grumbled in anticipation of the endless chattering that is to come, but this was expected of his father, considering he is a well-aged fox with much life experience which he wishes to share with others. A smirk broke off the todd's muzzle as he turned to see Judy engrossed in his tales, the occasional "ohh"s and "ahh"s were evidence to his judgement. To think that one day the two mammals before him will be father-in-law and daughter-in-law respectively was quite a mind-boggling concept, if anyone had told him earlier that it would come to this he would have brushed it off as a joke before directing them to a psychiatrist. Seeing how things did turn out this way, he would've deemed himself as mentally unstable as well. Truth be told, he probably is.

Back to more relevant event, Nick has found himself under the curious stares of both animals that were in his company, it appears that his father had ended his story telling session several moments ago, so the room had fell back into its usual silence. That still didn't answer the peculiar looks he received.

"Em, Nick? Aren't you gonna answer that?" the doe asked, slightly concerned at how lost her friend was. She shook her head as the fox started fumbling with his phone; apparently he had misinterpreted her comment and thought his phone had been ringing. "I meant your dad dumby." He gave a sheepish smile before letting out an embarrassed chuckle.

"Heh heh, I knew that." Lucky for him his tangerine fur concealed the blush, "so, what's up?"

"Astounding," the older vulpine noted, "is he always like this?"

"Now you know my pain." The duo shared a laugh, much to Nick's dismay; he still had no idea what was going on.

"Really fun guys, har har har," his tone was dry and void of emotion, it sounded more like a deadpan than mock laughter, "but seriously, what were you saying?"

"Right," he began, "now that you've finally marked her and all, when will the wedding be?" The shocked look on Nick's face was priceless.

"We- Wedding?" he started sweating bullets as he felt Judy eye him, "I mean we haven't thought this through yet, we just started this whole thing between us and- and her parents..." his voice died off as his ears fell, he didn't wish to tell his dad all the hardship they had to endure to get themselves this far, and he certainly didn't want to be hasty with such life changing decisions, especially if it meant him and Judy's relationship was on the line, _Could we still be friends if she said no?_ That was definitely a thought that haunting him for countless nights.

"Nicholas!" he had drifted off again, "how did you even qualify to be a policemammal with your attention span?"

"Yes! Of course, yes, her parents, uh... can we talk about this next time? When you're discharged perhaps, don't want any eavesdroppers do you?" his hustler facade fell into place perfectly as he allowed his butter smooth words to do its job. The aged fox sighed.

"Fine, but at least tell me you didn't skip the formalities."

"I certainly didn't."

"Formalities?" the doe intercepted, her curiosity pushing her into uncharted waters; fox courting behaviours.

"Thought you knew from that look you gave me last night." Judy paused to think.

"Last... last night?"

Nick didn't miss a beat in his reply, "yep, most certainly. I'm pretty sure you caught on with that one, you aren't the dumb bunny they think you are you know." He shot her a knowing grin, and as though a lightbulb was switched on in her mind, the answer dawned on her.

"The bark? That's part of your mating rituals?" Nick and his father nodded in response, snickering as they watched Judy turn brick red. "So... those things I hear every winter night aren't broken car engines?" Both canines shook their heads and just like that, Judy's childhood was in ruins. "Oh sweet cheese and crackers..."

"Let that sink in hunny bun, coz your gonna have to get used to it." Her cheeks grew hot as so did her ears, clear signs that Nick had got to her, again. _Mom lied, all this time..._

"Quit messing with the rabbit, I think she's had enough." Judy's mortified face remained in place as Nick pocked her side teasingly. "I do not wish to rush you two into getting married so quickly, but I do wish to see my grandchild, at least before I go..." the flustered look on the doe and the smug demeanour of the fox faded away as they heard the last five words, it was heart-breaking that he'd conceive such thoughts or even consider such things, he was healthy and recovering quickly after all. Right?

"C'mon dad, don't say that, you're all good okay?" he nodded, not really convincing, but it was a start. "So, you want us to get that burger for ya?" he swiftly leaped off the chair and prepared to attend to the errand, a mental map had already formed to direct him towards the nearest fast food restaurant.

"I want _you_ to get the snacks." The vulpine pointed at Nick as he emphasised his name, then turned his attention to the bunny, "I need to have a little chat with the lady." Nick eyed him suspiciously at his shift in behaviour, but Judy's nod and soft hum assured him that she would be fine and that he should quickly get the food; she was really hungry. And with that, he was gone. "Judy Hopps," his call caused her to snap away from the door to look at him in the eye, "there is something I need to tell you." A sudden sensation of dread filled her system as the fox beside her tensed, "today's a very special day…"

…

…

Up in the clouds the sun rolls on high illuminating the sapphire sky, a fraction of the warmth reached the earth while majority of the heat was lost to the gruesome cold climate, it was not enough, but it will have to do. On the streets a lonely fox strolled along the sidewalk, a bag of burgers in one paw and his phone in the other. He was tapping on the brightly lit screen, searching the internet for movies that were currently showing in theatres, _Meowana sounds promising..._ he thought as he clicked on the smooth surface, instantly booking three seats for the film, _Dad's gonna love it..._ Cheerfully, the fox bounced through the doors.

Several waves were offered to the hospital staff as Nick went deeper into the building, a few nods of acknowledgement were received in response, but most mammals ignored his gesture. The todd rationalised that the staff were rather busy and in the process of rushing to get things done, they overlooked his greetings, _no big deal..._ he thought, though it did hurt a little.

Upon reaching the floor where his father and Judy were situated, the fox decided, since he had time to spare, that he'd take a look around before returning. There was nothing much really, the layout was just like any typical hospital: plain walls with posters that illustrated information regarding health issues and how to overcome them, boring tiled floor with not a hint of dirt, an occasional table with potted flowers, and bright lights that hung from the ceiling. There was nothing spectacular to see, so he headed back towards his intended destination. Just as Nick was nearing the room, a crowd of doctors started flocking towards the general direction in which he was headed. Fearing the worst, he dashed right into the room.

"DAD!" the two startled mammals jumped from their seats at Nick's entrance, they looked at him with an array of emotions; first in fright, then with concern, lastly with confusion. The vulpine's features contorted to match the bewildered looks he gained, then he glanced out from the door in search for answers; the doctors were attending to a pregnant she-wolf in the adjacent room. She seemed slightly terrified, probably from Nick's sudden outburst, or because she was about to conceive, whatever floats her boat. Sheepishly the fox mouthed an apology before slipping back to hide the shame. "That was..."

"Embarrassing. Yes, yes it was," Judy finished the fox's incomplete statement.

"Yeah... I'll try my best to avoid such situations again." He made his way towards Judy and placed the bag of food on the empty bedside table. "Here's the food," he added, "enjoy." Multiple paws reached for the rather unhealthy snacks as they diligently searched for their chosen dishes; a fish-fillet with mayonnaise dressing for the young fox, a vegetable packed burger with assorted greens for the bunny, and a cricket and grasshopper burger for the old fox, it contained olives and pickles, which he despised passionately, but he decided against making a huge fuss.

"Thank you Nicholas," he muttered with a mouthful of his lunch, suppressing the urge to cough at the sheer sourness of the pickled fruits. The young reynard didn't say anything in return but merely offered a smile and a soft hum; his own muzzle was filled with food as well. The rest of the meal went on in quietness, each mammal fiddling with their own food, no conversations had kindled and no thoughts were shared. They would soon come to regret this.

…

…

"Nicholas, I think it's time to go."

"Hmm? I don't think visiting hours end this early. You want me to run another errand?"

"No Nicholas, I mean it's time for me to go."

"You're headed somewhere? I thought that you said you wanted to take a nap?"

"I did, and it might be a rather long one."

"It's okay, we'll just visit you tomorrow again."

"I think that would be a little too late, you wouldn't see me here anymore..." a tear broke from the doe's eye, but Nick failed to see it as he had his back facing her.

"...you're getting discharged?" Nick shrugged his shoulder as he caught on with what was happened. His father sighed.

"No, I have to go now..." he planted a paw on his child's arm, "your mother's calling." Sobs came from the elderly canine, but the younger of the two remained in denial.

"Dad, that's not funny, seriously stop that."

"Judy Hopps," he shifted his attention to the crying bunny, "please take care of my son."

"Dad, seriously stop."

"And for you Nicholas…" He pulled the todd up onto the bed and brought him into an embrace, "thank you for returning," his paws stroked his child's back unceasingly, "now I can go in peace."

"No, you're not leaving anywhere, not now, not today." Nick resolved, but to no avail.

"Say what you wish, but I've found my place and I've finished my race," He pushed the todd away so that he could look him in the eye, "what should my last words be? Hmm..." Nick was now in tears at the realisation that nothing can be done; this is the end. "Through despair and pain have faith and love... hmm, too cliché..."

"Dad..."

"I'm proud of you Nicholas..." his smile faltered as his eyelids grew heavy, "don't you ever forget that." He forced a smile and leaned towards Nick's ear, "I love you... my son..." Then came a horrendous noise; silence.

Through the tears and grief came a piercing cry, the cry of a new born baby; the she-wolf had had her first child. It didn't go unnoticed, but it was ignored by the weeping children who had just lost a father.

The world around them dissolved as the memory faded away, the fox now stood next to the bunny as they watched the wooden casket descend under the ground. Loud cries and sorrowful wails were drowned by the heavy downpour, the solemn environment matched the void that was present in their broken hearts. In the midst of the ordeal, three painful words rang through his mind.

"Such. Is. Life."


	25. He Lives In You

**#25 He Lives In You - Lion King II**

Darkness engulfed the entirety of the city as the day came to an end, the rain had ceased and the storm had passed, but sadly not the same could be said for the roaring tempest that still raged on in the heart of the now fatherless child. What had he done to deserve such a thing? It is true that he had wronged in the past, but why take the life of a loved one in proxy of himself? Has he committed a sin so heavy that his one and only family, save for his future mate, had to be ripped apart from his side? Why must the universe torment this innocent and broken child!? Such were the thoughts of the grieving fox as he sat on the bed contemplating. Judy had fallen asleep several minutes ago and was currently giving out a series of cute snores as her head leaned on Nick's shoulder. Under normal circumstances the todd would have spent the night watching her closely, studying all her features and admiring the sudden adorable yawns that would escape from her muzzle, but tonight was much gloomier and darker.

 _How could she fall asleep!?_ He screamed to himself, slightly angered at the calm vibe Judy gave off as she slept. Then again maybe it was jealousy; he craved for a good night's rest as he hasn't been able to sleep for the past four nights, but even if his life depended on it, he couldn't find rest. Negative thoughts and horrid nightmares robbed him of his sleep, he hadn't felt so helpless and pained since the day he left his home, but even then he still had family, a small yet promising gleam of hope to cling on to to get by the days. Now? Not so.

 _Why am I like this anyways? It's not like anyone died right? Oh right, heh heh..._ Humour was a form of escapisms for Nick, but even that was too dark for him. _Why must my entire life revolve around sadness and heartbreaks? It's like the universe has a bone to pick with me..._ he thought, because it certainly did.

The fox shifted atop the bed to assume a more comfortable position, all the while moving cautiously lest he wakes Judy from her sleep. The doe beside him squirmed slightly at his sudden movement and lazily tossed her arms around his torso, there was a sudden burst of relief that came with her bringing him into her embrace, it wasn't able to break Nick from the pain or give him strength to conquer it all, but it was just enough to get through the night. With whatever courage and willpower he had left, the fox dared himself to think back to the events that had unfolded itself that evening almost a week ago, the events that will forever change his life.

 _Rain poured heavily as clouds formed a blanket that spread across the once bright sky, shades of grey blocked rays of light from bringing warmth and life to the land below. As a withering plant, the area that was bustling with many mammals slowly died off in terms of activity, only a handful of mammals battled against the harsh weather and remained out in the open, the large majority decided to take refuge in sheltered places. Amongst the handful were a fox and a bunny who had rain of their own falling from their eyes as they watched the casket lowering down into the ground. Nothing was said, only loud bawling came from the vulpine, but the torrential shower masked his endless cries. In the small crowd were several other mammals including a lion and a leopard, they were all predators save for the doe, and were all dear friends to the deceased. In solemn silence they stood, Judy was the only who reacted when Nick made a dash towards the coffin, it would seem that all that were there held back their tears, and all wordlessly fought with the misery._

 _Amidst the sorrow, grief, and pain,_

 _In the darkness of the pouring rain,_

 _Lies a gleam of hope so fine,_

 _That all the wounds will heal in time..._

The fox snapped away from his daydream as the random thought spontaneously appeared, he was far from getting over his father's death, so it was a surprise that he could conjure up such a notion. Sure he wanted to recover from the grieving period he was in, but something deep inside himself wished he doesn't have to see the light of another day. With a shake of the head and a blink of the eye, Nick cleared his mind again to allow the flashbacks to return, hoping that this time he was allowed to remain in deep abyss of despair.

 _One by one the mammals left, each turning their backs against the past and returning back to heir daily routines. The rain didn't slow their progress of leaving the scene, instead it did otherwise and prompted them to quicken their pace. Nick watched on as the crowd thinned, anger pricking his heart at the thought of those animals leaving. "Your friend just died, for Pete's sake," he muttered under his breath, disgust and a sense of betrayal lingering in his statement, yet there was nothing he could do; it wasn't a formal funeral or anything of that sort (they were struggling financially) so they had the right of leave at will, but still it wouldn't kill to have some respect. "Great friends you got here dad," sarcasm dripped off his words like the droplets that dripped off his muzzle. When the sun finally set and all but one of the guests has left, the duo made their way back home, feet sore, tear ducts dry, and hearts broken._

"Nick..." a warm paw reached for his arm as he jerked slightly, in shock, at the contact made, "You're still up?" she rubbed her eyes with her free paw and hoisted herself up so she could see him eye to eye. The doe turned to the clock, squinted at it for a few moments before bringing her attention back to the restless fox, "You look horrible..." she added, Nick looked about to avoid her concern filled gaze.

"I need some air." Nick leaped off the bed and got to the door.

"I'll follow-"

"NO!" he shouted, startling the bunny. An apologetic look immediately spread across his face as he realised his sudden outburst, "sorry, it's just..." he ran a paw over the bridge of his snout.

"I know, it's not gonna be easy getting through this, but I insist you take me with you," Judy scurried off the bed and walked to the vulpine's side, "you can go ahead and cry, I wouldn't say a word to anyone." She smirked playfully at her companion who, due to the overwhelming emotions welling up within him, merely offered a gentle smile; if he did anything further he would easily reduce into a puddle of tears.

"Thanks," was all he could offer before leaving through the door with Judy's paw in his own.

…

…

It was about four in the morning when they reached their destination, the roads were clear and had no signs of life, it was expected for such a late hour, yet the bunny was still pleasantly surprised they made it here with such speed. "We're here," she said, assuming and hoping with all her heart that he had fallen asleep.

"I know," he deadpanned, it seems that her job is far from complete. The fox tugged on the handle and exited the car. With the bright moonlight as a guide he made his way towards the opening, the same clearing that held much of his childhood memories, the piece of land that had not one, but two oak plants growing from the ground; one was about two metres tall, the other was still a mere seedling. "He said he'd come by this place again very soon," the fox's shadow loomed over the tiny plant, "didn't think he meant this."

"He didn't mean for any of this to happen," Judy stated firmly, her tone unwavering and carried not the slightest bit of doubt, "and you know that."

"Yeah, I do." The fox crossed his feet and sat before the seedling, the one that was planted in remembrance of his father. "Just wish it would've played out differently..." a tear broke out from the corner of his eye, yet there was nothing that could be done to stop it from falling.

"Nick..." the doe crouched down and brought her arms around his neck allowing his head to rest upon her shoulder, "If you need to, just cry." she caressed the fox's back with comforting strokes as streams of tears rolled off his cheeks, all his emotions were set free and his burdens were lifted from hiss shoulder. It was a momentary feeling of relief, yet it rejuvenated his weary mind greatly.

"I'll never see him again..." he cried through sobs, no longer giving a thought about how miserable he looked, being transparent and sincere was all he wanted to do tonight. "How could he leave me? When I just returned he decides to go!?" he stuttered in his speech due to a series of hiccups.

"He has never left you Nick, he's right here..." she placed a paw over his heart and rubbed it gently, "he'll always be here with you." She hoped for the best when she threw out her words, and it seemed to have got through to him as he sniffled and nodded in response.

"I'll try my best to believe that," he said, sceptical at how cliché that sounded, "if that ends up being a lie I'm going to hold you responsible." He looked her dead in the eye as he uttered these words, but the chuckle that followed portrayed the playful nature of his statement. "Though I really wish that were true."

"It is, just give it some time, you'll see."

"Okay," his tone sounded as a child answering a parent; pure, innocent, sincere. The emotionally charged conversation ended as quickly as it began, fatigue quickly overtook the bunny as she began to let out snores again. Unfortunately for the fox he remained an insomniac, but a part of him felt restored and a little less broken, the crying had helped, and so did Judy's reassuring words. _Maybe, just maybe, there is hope after all..._ he looked up to the sky as he remembered the encounter he had just after the funeral ended:

 _All the guests had left, save for one mammal who remained silent before the tombstone with Nick's father's name engraved on it. The fox made his way to his side in curiosity; he was a grey wolf with grey fur at his flanks and whiter fur at his abdomen, he wore a pair of jeans and had a yellow coloured tee lazily tossed on, all in all it was definitely not an attire for a funeral. "I'm sorry sir, but I think it's time to go," Nick said softly, his words being heard despite of the pouring rain. The wolf turned to face the other canine and let out a sigh. He was a very peculiar character as he showed no remorse, and his outer appearance displayed his lack of respect for the deceased, yet his eyes alone betrayed the emotions within him, feelings of gratitude, joy, and relief._

" _He's in a better place now," he calmly stated, "he was in so much pain before..." he trailed off as he turned back to the stone planted on the ground._

" _Oh, I see... How did you know my father?" the grey wolf smiled and locked gazes with the fox._

" _I am an orphan, you see, and many years ago your father came into my life when I needed a father the most- adolescence." A sheepish grin tugged at his lips, "I was a total disaster, drugs alcohol and all, and he intervened and helped me get pass that. I owe him my life. When I was told he had cancer I was absolutely devastated, and I resolved to help him with all that I am; he was like a father to me," the canine explained, earning several hums from his companion, "but he wouldn't have to suffer anymore," the wolf smiled, "oh and I think you'd need this more than I do." He passed Nick a piece of laminated paper, "might I add, you look very much like your father."_

" _Thanks," the fox articulated, still very much overwhelmed by everything around him._

" _I think I'll stay for awhile more, you should go ahead first." Nick agreed with a nod and left the wolf alone. While moving towards Judy the fox took a glance at the paper:_

 _Amidst the sorrow, grief, and pain,_

 _In the darkness of the pouring rain,_

 _Lies a gleam of hope so fine,_

 _That all the wounds will heal in time..._

 _-Mr Wilde_

…

…

"Have you found your answer?"

"Probably."

"Alright then, how does one live with so much guilt and shame bottled inside?"

"My answer to your question," Nick said as he leaned closer to the gate, "with hope that one day all the guilt and shame is undone, in hopes that a day will come where the truth is learnt and all is at peace. And I believe that day has come for me. For us."

"Hmm, I see." The elderly fox tapped his chin and soon moved on with his next question. "So, who really left the family?"

"At the moment, you and mom. But though you left the family, you've never abandoned the home," the younger todd replied, confident and sure with his answer, "you'd always be there for me... right?" from the balcony the vulpine vanished into thin air just to reappear in front of Nick on the opposite side of the gate.

"See this gate," he gestured at the barrier between the two red foxes, "it separates the two domains of life and death. I will not be able to be with you," he said in a sad manner, "but yet, I will always be there for you." Nick analysed the obstacle that stood firmly on the ground, searching for any points of entry that he may use to get through it. Ultimately, he found none.

"How can we be together then? How can I get pass this gate?" his tone was desperate as he sought for answers.

"When your time is come. Fortunately it has not."

"Fortunately?" he quipped in slight annoyance, "don't you want us to be together?"

"And leave the doe in despair?" Nick flinched at his well-timed retort; it hadn't occurred to him that he had spend so much time feeling devastated that he had neglected her and her need for him.

"...so you say that you'd be there for me, how can I be sure that you are?" the todd tossed another question back as he was unable to respond to the previous one.

"You'll know when you feel it, when you see it." The gate soon dissolved along with the entire environment, only a pair of foxes remained in a field of endless light. Nick shook his head as he rubbed the sleep of his eyes, apparently Judy had driven them home as they were now comfortably lying in bed. The doe was still asleep, so Nick quietly slipped off the bed and went to the bathroom. _Yet another chapter of my life comes to an end..._ he thought, it was a chapter that started in pain and ended in grief, yet he doesn't feel as broken as before. Once he entered the bathroom, he set his gaze on the mirror before him, "it is an uncanny resemblance, but now I know..." he muttered, the dim lights made his amber fur darken by several shades and his bright emerald hues appeared more of a dark green, his scruffy coat had several strands of fur sticking out at random areas. He looked at his reflection, a perfect mirror image of his father.

"He lives in me..."


	26. Little April Shower

**#26 Little April Showers - Bambi**

"Clothes, jeans and khakis?"

"Check"

"Toothbrush, a fur brush, and other toiletries?"

"Phones, chargers and a laptop?"

"Check."

"Signature tie, signature grin and a bushy tail?"

"Check, I guess…"

"Stunning appearance, dashing looks and a handsome face."

"…"

"A cute little bunny"

"… you'd expect me to say check, but doesn't all this seem oddly familiar?"

"Indeed it does," Nick slammed the baggage shut before continuing, "it was exactly how chapter ten started," he declared, marking this very moment to be the first and possibly last time the fourth wall was broken.

"Har har, very funny," Judy said, not one bit amused at the fox's nonsensical babbling, "we should get going, don't wanna be stuck in the rush hour!" Her wild gesticulation and endless fidgeting portrayed the excitement she was currently feeling, sure her parents had hurt Nick and left an emotional scar on Judy the last time they were back in Bunnyburrow, but despite what Bonnie and Stu did to the both of them, they were still family whom she dearly missed. "C'mon let's go!" she added as they made their way to the door.

"Yeah sure, and maybe we could make a quick stop to get some breakfast."

"Hmm, that sounds like a plan, so let's-"

"And then we should go get some gifts or something, a little present for you dear parents."

"Okay... so why don't-"

"Might as well get some groceries while we're there. Oh yes, and we could go check out that new iPawd that was on sale; it has some brand-new features."

"..."

"Then we can go on a shopping spree..."

"Nick."

"Then pay a visit to Finnick..."

"Nick-"

"Perhaps catch a movie-"

"NICK!" the fox mindlessly turned to face the doe, snorting at the annoyed look she sent him as his gaze met hers. She sighed; he can be very stubborn at times. "I know you're afraid, but we have to do this," the doe made it clear so her words wouldn't go over his head, and it surely didn't as he let a soft whimper escape from his muzzle.

"I can already imagine the pitchforks, the fire. Oh the horror!" Nick dramatically placed a paw on his forehead as he allowed the luggage to slip off his grasp and fall onto the floor.

"Nick!" Judy scolded, but failed to stifle the giggle that bubbled its way up, "c'mon Slick." She hoisted the bag from the ground and paced away from the room, "enough with the jokes, let's go." And with that they left, a bunny leading ahead and a fox tailing behind, a rather odd scene to several onlookers on the sidewalk.

Unlike the first time they visited Bunnyburrow, the duo decided against taking the train to the suburbs and drove instead; the blisters and bruises from the endless walking under the sun served as a painful lesson they'll never forget. Plus, despite the title of this chapter, Zootopia was still in the midst of winter, so walking was out of the options. Judy handled the wheel, as usual, while Nick sat comfortably on the passenger seat beside her, the bags were chucked randomly at the backseats so they had plenty of room for themselves, or rather plenty of room for Nick, seeing that he has planted his feet on the dashboard and occupied any remaining space, much to Judy's annoyance. Being the kind doe she was, Judy held her tongue.

"All set to go?" she asked, the anger subsiding as she got comfortable with the tight setting.

"Hold up," Nick lazily threw his arms over the bunny as she yelped from the sudden weight on her shoulders, "now we're good to go," he finally said, the infuriating gesture and extreme invasion of personal space successfully tipping the rabbit to the edge. That was the last straw. Or so it seemed, because despite the discomfort from the heavy limb on her body, the uneasy feeling of his breath against her fur, the disturbing noise of his soft humming and all the other things he did to get on her nerves, she knew that it was all his own way of displaying affection.

"Nick," she warned sternly, which Nick, fortunately for him, caught on with and retracted his arm back to himself, relieving the bunny off his burdensome member. If it weren't for the goody yet lovable grin that he had plastered masterfully on his muzzle, the doe would've ripped his pretty face in two. Instead of that, Judy mouthed a "thank you" before stepping on the gas and speeding off into the streets.

"So, how long does it take?" Nick positioned himself into a proper and upright seating position as he reached into his pocket and fumbled for his phone, "I mean the trip to Bunnyburrow," he added, doubting the clarity of his statement.

"If the traffic's good…" the doe tapped her chin in contemplation, "an hour or so," she replied, eyes still glued to the road.

"An hour!?" he groaned in agony at the thought of it, "3600 seconds of doing nothing!?" gesticulation ensued at his endless whining, "an inconceivable, unbelievable notion!"

"So you'd rather walk again?" Despite her lack of facial expression, her deadpan was coated with a challenging tone, a sigh and a grunt followed in response of her suggestion, a clear sign of defeat and submission. Her lips tugged into a grin, "thought so," she said victoriously.

"And if the traffic isn't good?"

"Probably three hours."

"THREE-" Nick was speechless and utterly baffled; for many years he has lived in Zootopia where many amenities were walking distance and all necessary products could be bought via the internet, so long hours of travelling were never a thing he had to deal with, not until today. The conversation died off while the todd remained in a state of shock, not a single word was uttered as Judy drove down avenues and highways, which was a delight for the bunny as she was able to concentrate on the road without random yelling blaring into her sensitive ears. _Hope it stays this way…_ she reminded herself of how loud he could get when he went on "complain rampages", a term she coined where Nick would start shouting whatever that came to his mind at moments of dissatisfaction of discontentment. Such episodes don't occur as frequent since he matured to be more tolerant, but when they do occur they are still as loud as before. _Annoying, but kinda cute…_ she noted, smiles occupying her snout at the happy thought. "Are we there yet?" _oh boy, here we go again…_

…

…

The streets were clear and traffic was smooth, the weather was a plus with cool breezes that shook nearby trees. With the windows wound down Nick did the act that no canines could ever resist, sticking his tongue out and tasting the wind. Such is the ideal trip; in reality however the car's heater had died off some time ago and they were currently in the middle of a stagnant, congested highway. The windows sealed shut to prevent the car from turning into a popsicle, but the freezing gusts of air somehow managed to seep through the flimsy doors.

"It's… too unbearable…" the fox muttered with an intense shiver, "everything's… going… dark…" he clutched his chest and sunk deeper into his seat, eyes fluttering shut as he exhaled his last. A well-deserved slap on his cheek brought him back from his award-winning acting, a deep chuckle followed by a sigh sounded as Judy turned back to face the road.

"Still not moving," she bluntly stated, her sigh condensing into a puff of mist.

"Well it could be worse," Nick offered just as small chunks of ice began pounding against the windscreen, who would've thought it would actually start hailing? Definitely not the guilt filled fox and most definitely not the fuming rabbit. "Well, at least-"

"Not. Another. Word." Road rage got the better of Judy as her hold on the wheel tightened tremendously, _Gosh! Even with both my feet there's nothing that can be done for that cursed mouth of his…_ now she understood why foxes carried ill omen. "It's like everything bad that slips through your muzzle somehow magically comes true!"

"Is that so? Shall we test that hypothesis?"

"No… Don't you dare-"

"I'm sure glad the car's still running, it'll be a disaster if it broke down." He sure was having fun as he relished the anxious demeanour the doe held when he pronounced the damnation, however that all changed as the headlights flickered and the engine began coughing. Said engine soon came to a halt, killing the heaters and any other electrical features installed within the car. Silence engulfed the entirety of the car.

"Nick…" the doe, in complete disbelief, said through chattering teeth. "I can't believe it…" the fox's bewilderment and astonishment matched that of Judy's, but fear slowly crept into his mind at the thought of him possessing such supernatural abilities.

"Judy… wha…" he was absolutely dumbfounded. "The… the car… actually died?" his voice was shaky at the disturbing truth that the automobile was, in fact, no longer functioning. Terrified at the consequences of his new-found powers, his shaking paws searched for his snout and clamped it shut. "I take that all back. Judy, we can't have our car dead in this weather, we just can't!"

"I know Nick, I just can't… I can't believe that-" her sentence was cut short when the car shook briefly and the engines powered back up, warm streams of air flowed from the air conditioners and soft music came from the radio; everything was back to how it once was.

"…" both mammals were speechless. "I'll just… lay down…" Nick said with shuddering breaths, collapsing into the cushions as he reflected upon all that has occurred.

"I can't believe it…" the doe muttered, _never knew you were this gullible…_ she released her grip on the keys as she pressed on the pedal and sped into the rapidly clearing streets, a prideful grin hanging on her lips as she took one last glance at the trembling canine. _Tsk tsk, hustler's getting old…_

…

…

Often times tribulations begin with a moment of tranquillity, as one would say "the calm before the storm", hence, being a self-proclaimed intellect who is very familiar with idioms as such, the fox had anticipated the worst as the car skidded to a stop. "Are… are we…"

"Yes, yes we are Nick." He swallowed hard as the doe killed the roaring engine. With all the valour he could muster the vulpine dared himself to look out the window; white snow remains littered over the entire area bringing a rather Christmassy feel to the ambience. It was obvious that winter was coming to an end as random patches of grass protruded from the thawing soil; fresh, young, bold, such were the words one would associate with the tough yet humble greens. A great contrast to the timid vulpine at hand.

"You go on ahead first, I'd like to take a moment to enjoy the view," the fox prompted with a large smile, "isn't this wonderful? A brilliant piece of art if I may say," he gestured at the environment as he panned his paw across the window.

"Yes, it is very beautiful! My parents would be thrilled to show you around!" not exactly the response he wanted, certainly not something he was prepared for.

"It's- it's okay your parents don't have to-"

"They insist, Nick. There's nothing I can do to stop that." He was still a little stressed out at the moment, but upon hearing that her parents were the ones who suggested this, he felt much more relieved. _At least they're warming up to me…_ he thought with a sigh, a knot deep down in his stomach undid itself at the comforting thought.

"Shall we?"

"Okay," the fox was determined, "let's go." Paw in paw the exited they car and made their way for the house, a trail of pawprints led them directly to the front door.

"Ready?" Judy offered a reassuring squeeze as Nick nodded in response, she reached for the bell and gently pressed against it. The world froze in that instant when a musical chime rang through the whole residence, they no longer felt the chilling breeze coursing through their fur nor did they hear the howling wind, all that was on their attention now was the sturdy wooden door before them. Then came the creaking sound of rusty hinges that pierced through the silence.

"Judy… Nick…" the rabbit patriarch said in a monotonous tone as he eyed the odd couple, his stern appearance slowly breaking into a genuine smile, "welcome home."


	27. Colours of the Wind

**#27 Colours Of The Wind - Pocahontas**

"Good afternoon Mr Hopps," Nick sheepishly said as he extended his paw, "it's great to see you again."

"Is it?" came Stu's retort, the fox's paw dropped slightly as both parties' smiles faltered. That all changed as a soft chuckle came from the buck, he unwound his crossed arms and firmly gripped the offered paw. "Indeed it is." Nick visibly relaxed at Stu's assuring tone. The fatherly rabbit soon turned his attention to the doe beside him, he took a step closer to her when she lunged herself towards him and wrapped her arms around him, all of it taking place in a blink of an eye.

"I missed you dad," she whispered into his ears, it had been months since they last saw each other, as such the hug they shared lasted a while longer, both mammals savouring the warmth of the other's embrace.

"Missed ya too pumpkin..." his paw instinctively rubbed against her back in soothing circles as both father and daughter remained in a bundle. They were in their own world where all past fears and pain just melted away, even the cold breeze failed to break them from each other, in fact nothing in this world ever would, for such is the love of a father to their child. Nick, at ease and completely relieved, finally smile. He then turned to greet the elderly doe beside him.

"Hello Mrs Hopps," he offered his paw but received a hug from Bonnie instead.

"It's great to see you again Nick," she said with a smile, "about last time..." her ears dropped as she chose her words carefully, not wanting to hurt their guest or bring up the horrible things they did the last time he visited. The fox, seeing her fidget and sensing her insecurity, placed a paw on her arm and rubbed it gently.

"Don't worry Mrs Hopps," he said as she looked deep into his emerald pools, "I forgive you, all of you." He gestured to Stu and several more bunnies who were peeping through the partially closed door. "With that said, we don't have to talk about it ever again," his words carried a hint of pain and his eyes turned a little darker, memories of that day remained fresh in his mind, every word thrown at him, every action done, every emotion that coursed through his system, everything was crystal clear. A warm paw brought him back from the dark days of the past, Nick smiled at Bonnie as she retracted her arm from the fox's.

"How can we ever make it up to you?" the doe asked, guilt and regret lingering in her voice as she too recalled the events of that day, "hmm, how 'bout blueberry pie?" Nick instantly froze on his spot, his mind going blank at the sound of the delicious dessert.

"Sure," he said softly but internally was screaming and leaping for joy, who wouldn't do so at the promise of the freshly baked goods? The aroma, the sensational taste as your teeth sink into the gooey, sticky blueberry filled crust, _can't wait for that..._ he thought, drooling as he did so.

"Kids! Come help our guests with their bags!" Bonnie yelled at the door as a tiny horde of rabbits came dashing out from the entrance, easily overwhelming the helpless vulpine. Nick wanted to decline the offer as there wasn't much load to carry, however he made no comments and yielded to their kind act, after all he was left breathless at the crushing weight of the pile of fluffy bunnies above him. "Don't be rude, get off the kind fox! Marvin! Marxene! Off, off, off!" Bonnie continuously scolded as the bundle of bunnies slowly reduced in size leaving behind an exhausted and panting fox along with a clingy rabbit wrapped around his tail. The doe reached for the child and scooped him into her arms, "c'mon Nick, Judy," she called out to the mammals before her, "let me show you to your room." Without further delay all four animals made their way into the cosy warmth of their home. Bonnie walked the couple to their designated room while Stu had left to return to his work.

"Here you are," she said with a twist of the knob, the door unlocked itself to reveal a rather small room, "this is where both of you will stay." She panned an arm across the room, _huh, two separate beds…_ Nick noted, _bummer…_ "Don't hesitate to call if y'all need anything. Now excuse me, I got to attend to the pies." And with that she stepped down the stairs and went straight for the kitchen.

Once out of earshot, the duo finally let loose their thoughts, "your parents still against… us?"

"What makes you say that?" Judy enquired as she unpacked their shared luggage.

"I dunno, how about the two separate beds that are placed about a metre away from each other?" Nick quipped, sarcasm dripping from his words, "oh and not to mention two different toilets for the both of us? Unbelievable!" he muttered disapprovingly as he surveyed their appointed room; despite it being too small for Nick's taste, it was larger and much wider as compared to other neighbouring rooms, even the beds and furniture seem to be bigger in size, so it is safe to assume that this room was prepared specifically for their canine guest, that somehow only added to the insult. "Seriously though, did they really think we would actually use both the beds? C'mon, we're practically engaged!" he continued his rant as he walked about the room.

"Pipe down would you? The walls have ears," she warned the fox as he sheepishly cupped his face in his paw, embarrassment quickly filling his mind at the thought of Judy's siblings overhearing their conversation. _Mister fox is sleeping next to Judy mommy… What's that!? Stu bring the knives, we've got fox pelt to claim!_ After that imaginative scene, Nick noticed that he felt less of shame and more of fear, so he decided to adhere to Judy's words and kept his voice down.

"So, where are we headed after this?" the vulpine asked as he placed the last piece of clothing into the closet.

"Don't know yet," the doe replied, "though I did her mom saying something about taking you for a tour around the garden." To that Nick responded with an internal groan; he wasn't one who likes slow walks in the cold weather, but it was for the sake to mending bridges between him and the Hopps family, so he pushed aside his discomfort and offered a smile.

"That would be nice." The doe's smile matched his as they gazed deeply into each other's eyes.

"Let's go," she prompted, "wouldn't want to miss those blueberry pies!" The fox chuckled as the bunny made a beeline out of the room and into the corridor.

"Wouldn't for the world."

…

…

"Thank you very much for the pies Mrs Hopps, they are delicious!" the fox praised the elderly doe as he smacked his lips, the lasting taste of the fresh berries still lingering in his muzzle. Bonnie lightly chuckled at his demeanour.

"I hope you liked it."

"Liked it? I loved it!" She beamed at his satisfaction. The sweetness and the tartness was in a harmonious balance, the crust was crusty, as it should be, and the portion was just magnificent (Nick had an entire pie for himself), all in all only one word could describe the dessert; perfection.

"That's good to hear," she replied, both mammals walking through the thawing snow as they steadily paced away from the house. "Nick…" the rabbit matriarch said in a tone much more solemn than before, "I've been meaning to ask you: how? How could you forgive us after all that we have done?" she voiced her thoughts with sincerity and admiration evident in her tone, for it takes much courage and strength to look pass the wrongdoings of another, especially transgressions of such degrees.

"Well, I guess I'm kinda used to it y'know. Getting roughed up is just another thing us foxes have to deal with." His gaze darted the ground as tears began pricking in his eye.

"I never knew it was that bad…" Bonnie admitted, "must've been very hard getting through life in Zootopia."

"…" a tear trickled down his cheek. "They all say that we're ignorant savages, shifty, untrustworthy and sly. Since birth this fact was taught to us, this horrendous and painful lie. As such they treat us badly in a dark and unfavourable light, we lashed back in defence but ultimately lost the fight." Memories of his childhood flashed by his eyes, the bullying and the torture he had to go through just because he was a fox. "We did good and behaved well, so our true nature we can tell, but still I can't see why, that the savage one is still I…"

"I'm so sorry," Bonnie embraced the fox and used her paw to dry his tears, she rested his head on her shoulder and soothed the canine with firm strokes on his back. "But at least our girl saw through all that," she lifted him back up to his feet, "and very soon so shall we." A smile formed in both the mammals, "come now, we've got much to see."

The ice was beginning to melt as patches of grass blossomed in spite of the cold, it was still technically winter so not many plants could thrive under the harsh conditions, trails of pines, however, stood tall and firm on the ground. Several sycamore trees were also rooted in the soil, but they were bare of any leaves. _Wonder how tall these can grow?_ Nick questioned as he was swallowed into their looming shadows, the bitter recollections long forgotten. There in the midst of nature both of them walked, enjoying the presence of every living thing sprawling around them and the rejuvenating scent of fresh greens carried in the breeze.

Bonnie was of age and was not as fit as she used to be, so after a long stroll she decided to take a breather on a nearby bench, Nick however continued to pace around the trees to evaluate the patterned veins that pierced through the leaves and how they differed from each another. The doe watched on as the fox was fully immersed in the wonders around him, _So pure..._ she noted, _How wrong we were to hurt such a darling..._ regret once again weighed down on her heart. _But after all, she's still a rabbit and he's still a fox..._ her resolve returned as she glanced at the canine, mixed emotions and uncertain thoughts adding to the confusion. _This has to stop..._

…

…

It had been awhile since both her mother and her partner had left home for a walk, and it had been even longer since she saw any of her family members; they all withdrew back to their individual rooms after having pie. Seeing that standing idly in the middle of the empty hall was of no help, Judy set off in search of her father, _Probably in the barn…_ she noted before disappearing through the door. A gust of wind met with the doe as she took her first steps out from the warmth, it was a lesser known fact that she was a big fan of the cold: the snow, the icy winds, the subtle yet undeniable growth in fur mass which allowed for more comfortable snuggling sessions between her and her mate, all of which brought much joy to the frosty winter. _Heh heh, not to mention…_ she thought to herself, _fox season…_ a flush of heat made its way to her cheeks, melting any bits of snow that landed over her. Feeling very much embarrassed by her internal monologue, and a mild chill travelling down her spine, she began her search for Stu.

Quick was the trip to the barn beside the house, but quicker still was Stu's surprised actions as his daughter cautiously approached him. Dropping his phone on the table next to him, he said with a shaky tone, "Ju- Judy! Hey Jude where did you come from?" his breathing picked up as he fumbled for his phone. The peculiar behaviour was not unnoticed, but Judy decided to brush it off.

"Hey dad, sorry to scare ya. Just got bored at home and wanted to see if you needed any help," the doe said as she got closer to her dad. She looked around to see what she may assist him with, but all she got was a nervous chuckle from her dad as he pushed her out from the barn.

"It's alright honey bumpkins I'm not doing much anyways why don't you head home your mother should be there by now," Stu articulated in a single breath, "don't wanna keep him waiting!"

"What? Who? Wha-" before she spoke further Stu shut the door behind her and locked her out. "Ok…" weird, as always, "I guess I _don't_ want to keep him waiting… who exactly? Nick?" she thought out aloud as she made a quick turn to the house. The moment she entered she saw both her fox and her mother seated on the dining table indulging themselves into yet another pie. _Just like dad predicted…_ "Nick, your back! How was the-" she merely took two steps into the door before a chime rang through the room, catching the attention of the three mammals in the room. Judy looked at the other two before her as though to seek for answers in regards to their unexpected guest; Nick was as confused as she was, but Bonnie was not at all. She reached for the doorknob.

"Judy…" came the voice of a buck. Her jaw practically fell to the floor.


	28. Beauty and the Beast

**#28 Beauty and the Beast - Beauty and the Beast**

Once vacant seats on the long dining table of the Hopp's family now contains three mammals who were watching each other intently, the deafening silence and exceptionally tense atmosphere matched that of the day when Nick was kicked out from the house, but this time it was for very different reasons. Judy watched as the two male animals glared at each other, their eyes conveying what their words can't. Intense was an understatement; this has to end.

"Nick, meet-" the doe started, but was cut off from the fox himself.

"Savage," a low growl followed, audible to the bunny beside him but not the buck before him.

"Wilde," he replied, confidence and smugness coating his response, which was a little intimidating for the canine, but he didn't let it show. Judy darted her gaze between the two hostile mammals, half of her wishing to stay and satisfy her curiosity, half of her wanting to leave before they tear each other apart.

"I'll just…" the doe pointed a thumb towards the kitchen and excused herself from the unnerving air surrounding the two, but a paw reached for her before she could advance any further.

"Stay," the buck urged from across the table, and seeing that it was Nick's shaking paw that kept her from leaving, she decided to stay put. Silence fell over once again as a thick blanket of smoke, choking all caught within the uncomfortable setting and causing their throats to run dry.

"So…" Judy started, hopefully now she can get some answers, "you two have met each other?"

"Wish we hadn't," was Nick's reply, his watchful gaze still glued to the perceived imposter observing his every move. "Ow!" he then exclaimed as he felt the bunny jab his side.

"Be nice," Judy mouthed at the fox as he turned to briefly glance at her, she seemed calm and collected, but the fox knew better than that, if her piercing glare was anything to go by. Nick didn't like that idea, not that she understood why, but he decided to obey her command and sealed his muzzle shut. "It's been awhile Jack, how have you been?" the doe asked their guest elevating the stress inducing air that had once surrounded them.

"No doubt it's been quite some time since we last met, and yes I've been doing fine thank you very much. And how have you been? And might I ask why are you doing with this… thing?" Jack's tone was courteous at the start but soon turned hostile at the end as he gestured to the fox sitting at the table.

"THING!?" Nick's paws smashed against the table and his chair fell upon him quickly standing up, the hackles hidden behind his neck rose dangerously as his blood boiled in pure rage. Judy responded swiftly and threw herself between the two.

"Go," she urged him, her simple sentence carrying an impactful warning as she looked at him straight in the eye then at the stairs, subtly demanding Nick to take a breather before things get worse. "Now," she added for an emphasis. The fox could do nothing but comply, so with heavy steps and a shaky sigh, he dragged himself up the stairs, through the empty corridors and into their shared room. "Sorry 'bout that Jack, he gets a little grumpy when he's sleepy," she lied, Jack noticed, as she did her best to sound convincing.

"Hmm, and how did you come to know Wilde?" the buck pressed on, letting her lie slide by just this once.

"I met him on my very first day working in Precinct 1. Got hustled by him good," she replied in a cheery tone, chuckling at the memory of Nick's carefully laid out plan.

"Hustling…typical."

"Jack!" came Judy's scolding, to which he merely nodded an apology, but she was quick to forgive. "And how did the both of you meet?" the doe retorted, "you two seem to know each other quite a bit."

"Heh," The buck took a sip from the glass of water prepared for him, "long story…" he thought for a moment, but decided this wasn't a time to spill the beans. "So, what happened after falling for his tricks? I'd assume you got sacked right away," he said, diverting the topic with ease.

"Well I almost lost my job, but I didn't," she turned to meet the buck's eyes, "thanks to Nick." He lowered his glass from his lips and placed it gently on the wooden table, intrigued by Judy's bold statement and slightly surprised that such a notion was possible. "Long story…" she said, "one that I'm always willing to share."

While the two rabbits gradually went out of earshot, a loud bang resonated through the halls as a door was swung to a shut, the locks clicked so to seal the embarrassed yet furious fox along with the string of colourful curses that were muttered under his breath. _Why did it have to be him…_ he thought as he laid on the bed, defeated and utterly exhausted. A hundred and one things ran through his mind as he thought about the years he spent with Judy and when Jack had possibly entered the picture, _Not possible.._. he concluded, _All these years we have never crossed paths with Savage…_ he stated, a warm fuzzy feeling filling his being at the fact he could recall the many moments they had shared with one another. _We've never been apart from each other, have we?_ A smile made its way across his muzzle, _That's nice to know…_ With a contented sigh and a gulp of fresh air, he supported himself up from the bed and indulged in retrospection. _Judy never mentioned about him, or has she?_ He thought for a long while, blurry images from distant memories flashing through his mind as he analysed, to the best of his abilities, for hints that Judy may have dropped along the way. One particular sentence stood out like a sore thumb.

" _Well at least you're here to stay, unlike…"_

Nick shot up at the revelation. "Oh sweet cheese and crackers." His eyes wide and heart racing. "Gideon Grey's the least of my problems," he said dryly, not one bit happy at the answers he found, the answer that led Jack Savage to their doorstep. "They were lovers." His whole world collapsed.

…

…

"Nicky! Oh Nicky!" came the high-pitched shriek of an arctic shrew, "come on here my boy, they're done!" the fox dashed down from the stairs and made a beeline straight into the kitchen, the smell of freshly baked cannoli wafting through thin cold air beckoned the young todd deeper into room.

"Oh boy!" he squealed in excitement as a polar bear took the pastries out from the scorching hot oven, he stood on his toes in an attempt to steal a glance or two, but the sheer size of the bears stopped him from doing so.

"Take a seat and they'll be ready in a jiffy," the shrew suggested, which Nick did so, as she went off to prepare the delicious filling that would soon enter the homemade cannoli. The todd, now in his teenage years, loved the irresistible treats that the arctic shrew baked and, more importantly, really loved her.

"Give me five more minutes dear and they'll be done!" she yelled from across the big room, or if you'd rather, yelled across Big's room, as she began to oversee the making of the out-of-this-world, sensational cream.

"Hurry Grandmama, I'm starving!"

"Patience dear, they'll be done soon," came her reply. Nick had always loved the fact he could behave so innocently and so playfully in front of the elderly shrew, and she in turn had really enjoyed the company he gives her. It had been little less than a month when Grandmama noticed Nick stranded and alone in the blistering cold of Tundratown, it was then she took the bold step to take him in as one of her own, and since then they grew fond of each other and now share an unbreakable bond, a bond comparable to that of a mother and a child. It goes to show that love can extend beyond one's species.

The day she brought him back home was not really a very pleasant day either, but who could blame the todd? Fear would be the only thing left as every last bit of courage flees you in the face of an army of polar bears. What's worse is the one in control of the countless vicious goons, of course that is none other than the infamous Mr Big. Albeit small in size, the crime boss had a glare that matched his notorious title and a voice that was cold as the weather outside, the mere mention of his name was enough to bring rhinos and tigers to their knees, this may seem like an exaggeration, but Nick has actually witnessed this before with his very own eyes. Such were, and still are, the characteristics of the terrifying little mammal, and young Nick was most definitely not ready for that moment when he stepped through the door.

But what he really wasn't ready for was what came after.

His knees were trembling as the crime lord approached him on the paw of his polar bear servant, he could feel the pair of eyes burning through his soul as he got closer and closer. Nick kept his eyes on the big bear and failed to realise that the shrew was no longer on the bear's paw, but rather was standing in front of him, a miniature arm extended towards the fox.

"Call me Mr Big," he said in a thick Italian accent, Nick reached for his paw and gently shook it. "Welcome to la mia famiglia…" he said, a soft chuckle breaking through his stoic demeanour, "Welcome to our home." Everything got better from there, he had a house to stay in and a job to do; Mr Big had placed Nick in charge or a group of mammals who were responsible for maintaining the big mansion that they called home. All he had to do was make sure the house was in tip top condition for the family to live in, especially for their new born; little Fru Fru. Life could not have been smoother, he finally felt like he belonged.

"Here you go sweety. One for you and one for Grandmama." The elderly shrew placed two plates containing a cannolo each, she took her seat on a smaller table and dug into the sweet treat. The todd watched on as she ate, _New clothes…_ he noted, taking in the new purple floral patterned dress that the kind lady was in. "What's with the staring? Have I got something on my dress?" she looked down to inspect her dress for any crumbs.

"Not at all Grandmama," his paws waved about in a negative, "you just look stunning!" he added, grinning at the slight brush working up her cheeks, they shared a hearty laugh before turning their attention back to the food. That's when _he_ comes into play.

"Oh! That's the doorbell Nicky, would you mind getting it for me?" she got up from her seat and brushed lightly against her skirt.

"Not at all." Nick made his way to the front door and peeped out the small hole. There stood a buck. "Can I help you?" the fox spoke into the intercom system and waited for a response.

"…" there was a moment of silence, but the guest finally spoke up, "I'm here to fix up the car, a shrew by the name of Big called me over." Nick cocked his head in confusion, _A mechanic? Since when did we have any issues with the car?_ He thought for a while and vaguely remembered Mr Big mentioned something regarding an engine failure, so he twisted the knob and invited him in. Actually, invited _them_ in. Emerald orbs darted over the guests as he registered a white furred buck and an arctic fox; the rabbit, like any typical rabbit, was a head or two shorter than himself, he had three black stripes going down the side of his cheeks, whether it was artificial or intentionally dyed was not of his concern. The fox then turned to look at the arctic fox, or rather, the arctic vixen; her fur was an unusual colour of beige and white and in her right paw was a toolbox filled with equipment used by any other mechanics.

"May I have your card please?" Nick inquired as the buck reached for the pocket on his bosom and produced a card with their company logo, slogan, and number. _Seems legit…_ he assessed the card carefully and slid it into his own pocket. "Just some procedures," he offered a sheepish smile earning some giggles from the vixen, much to his glee. "Raymond." The polar bear beside him nodded, understanding his full intention without him speaking another word. "Thanks," he added, to which Raymond smiled. And with that they left for the basement where the cars were kept, and Nick got back to his unfinished cannoli.

"Who was that dear?" too overly anxious and paranoid to continue eating, Grandmama asked the fox.

"Nothing much really, just a bunch of mechanics," he answered, she sighed. A quiet moment went by before the arctic shrew voiced out again.

"Hurry finish that up before it gets cold." All Nick could do was smile.

"Sure Grandmama, will do."

…

…

"Hey Jack, I've got to go check on my dad in the barn, do you mind staying here for a second? Don't worry I'll be back as soon as I can okthanksbye," Judy's last words were cramped into a single breath as she dashed out through the door, it had been several hours since Jack stopped by and even longer since she saw her parents, so she made her leave to spend some time with them.

"All by myself I guess…" the buck said into the empty house, his words bouncing back in a muffled echo.

"Think again." His ears flew up at the deep voice came from the stairs, turning to see he noticed a patch of red emerge from the shadows.

"Wilde," he crossed his arms, making a barrier between him and the fox, "what do you want?"

"Answers," came Nick's quick reply, "how long have you known Judy?"

"Oh, we go way back. Back to the days of blissful youth and romantic summers," his tone was laced with malice and spite, it proved to have served its purpose as the vulpine clenched his fists. "Breathe Wilde, wouldn't want Judy to see you like that, would you?"

"Isn't taking the life of one family member enough!" the fox lashed out at the buck, but he seemed unshaken as he cocked an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he said, honestly lost and blind from the truth.

"You know exactly what I mean…" the fox trailed off as he glared at the buck, memories returning all at once.

…

…

 _*Ding dong*_

The chime of the bell rang through the house, Nick got up from the couch and lazily walked towards the door. Who would visit them when it's just daybreak? Who could it possibly be? Nick already knew the answer as he unlocked the door and swung it open.

"Hey Jack," he waved at the buck who nodded and smile in response, "and... where's your partner?" he looked around to see that the buck's partner was nowhere to be found. Silence came from Jack's side as he passed through the fox and entered the room. "Meh," Nick shrugged, _Probably busy today..._ he concluded before closing the door behind him. "So, what are you here for today?" Jack shook his head unamusingly before lifting a toolbox towards the vulpine.

"Doesn't it seem obvious?" his voice was cold, yet it carried a mild tone of playfulness, the smirk he struggled to conceal was evidence of this.

"I'll take you there then," the fox lead the buck deeper into the house. Ever since the first time the buck and the arctic vixen, had came to service their problematic cars, they had visited the Big household several more times, courtesy of Grandmama. It was then they shared each their own life story as well as grandma shrew's delicious baked goods. Years passed in a blink of an eye and they developed a strong friendship which they cherished dearly, the fox and the buck, aged 18 and 20 respectively, were the best of friends.

The duo stepped into an elevator that led them down into the basement, there Jack finally vocalised for the first time. "Did it work?" he asked, Nick looked a little confused but soon caught on with what he meant. "Oh yes yes of course it did!"

Jack grinned victoriously, "as expected from a master hustler." What did he mean by that? Well, it just means that they managed to pull of the con of their lives; before Nick was taken in by the Bigs he had a steady occupation of, you guessed it, popsicle hustling, and Jack came to know of this during one of his visits and decided to use it to his advantage. "How much is the cut?"

"About 40,000 bucks, plus minus another 5,000." Jack was shocked at the figure; no ordinary mechanic would be able to get a hold of so much cash. "What's so special about that rug anyways?" to that the rabbit responded with a grin.

"You'll see..." the elevator stopped with a 'ding' before Nick could question further, stepping out through the door they were met with a singular car parked in thee centre of a wide warehouse. On any other day dozens of limousines and automobiles would fill up the area, but today wasn't any other day as Mr Big had a grand event he needed to attend, so most of the costly cars were mobilised save for the lonely one that was left behind. Both mammals paced towards the car in silence.

"You like her, don't you?" Jack stopped in his tracks at Nick's sudden question, a hint of pain tainted his face as he brushed off the feeling. Quietly he stepped away until he reached the car.

"None of your business fox," came his hostile reply, his target took a step back as the buck got straight into fiddling with the car. _Don't want her involved in any of this..._ Savage thought with a sigh, his heart racing for the events that were about to unfold. Sadly, it unfolded too soon.

"What's this?" the fox got near the open toolbox and pointed at a blinking device, "lemme just-"

"NO DON'T TOUCH IT!" Jack scurried from under the car and leaped at the vulpine, pinning him down to the ground with all his might. The force and impact he exerted sent an object flying out from his loose breast pocket, it hit the floor with a metallic click. It was a badge. On it was engraved 3 letters that made the fox's pupils grow wide; F, B, and I.

"Uh..." his speech was momentarily impaired at the new information he just learnt.

"Nick, listen-"

"Grandmama..." the todd began to call out.

"Nick quiet, I can get you out of here, you're not safe here anymor-"

"GRANDMAMA!" he yelled before slipping out from under the buck, "GRANDMAMA!" he called out again as the buck began his chase. Fortunately for Nick the elevator doors closed before Jack could get on, and he rode up the building to where the living room was. _Darn it! I trusted that buck!_ He cursed internally as the lift creaked to a halt, there he was met with the mammal of interest.

"Yes dear you called?" the elderly shrew squeaked as she processed his frantic demeanour, "is something the matter Nicky?"

"Dennis." A nearby polar bear turned to face the fox, "take the backup car outside and get Grandmama out of here; we've got an intruder." Without hesitation the bear snatched the arctic shrew from the ground and made a dash for the door, Nick followed suite when he suddenly remembered, "Fru Fru!" There was no chance he was going to leave Mr Big's daughter, so he made a run back into the house.

The fox dashed into the room shared by Mr Big's immediately family in search of baby Fru Fru, and there he was, the traitor rabbit was fumbling through the documents on the shelf, stuffing as many of the said files inti his briefcase.

"We trusted you Savage," Nick said broken-hearted.

"You still can Nick, just follow me and you'll be fine." He turned back from the shelf to glance at the vulpine, then went on with his search.

"I can't allow this Jack," he declared as he snatched the briefcase from beside the buck and leaped over Big's desk.

"WILDE!" Jack called as he pounced towards Nick, everything happened so quickly as the fox pushed a concrete slab on the floor to reveal a compartment filled with freezing fluids, the infamous icing pool that belonged to artic shrew, causing the buck to flail in mid-air. He barely managed to cling on as his furred digits held tightly on the rim of the compartment. "NICK!" he shouted again, fearing that now he would lose his life. Teary blue eyes met with cold, dark green as he pleaded for help, but all the fox could do was stare.

"We trusted you..." his soft whisper pierced through the endless cries, void of any compassion and regret. Suddenly there came another cry, this time not one that called for help, but one that carried so much raw and instinctual emotions; the wailing cries of a young infant. It took awhile for Nick to grab a hold on any sense of rational reasoning, but he soon took note of the stream of tears flowing down the buck's cheeks; they have so much more to live for, and so many more years before they meet their ends, and to think that one of them would face death by the hands of the other was a thought unconceivable by the fox, yet here they are right now.

"Please..." a soft call snapped the vulpine away from his thoughts, shaking fingers slowly lost their grip as gravity continuously pulled him into the blistering cold, nothing in the world could save him from his twisted fate except for the fox. A fox. A mammal that none could trust due to their cunning and deceitful nature was the sole thing that was the deciding factor, but most of all, the decision was in the hands of a friend. With that said Nick reached his paw out and grabbed hold of Jack's, he pulled him up and placed him aside.

"Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" not turning back to even look at the buck, Nick said in despair.

"N- No- Nothing else…" his breathing was shaky and his thoughts were scattered, a common phenomenon after facing death at the face, "th- thank you." The fox didn't respond.

"Go."

"… but Nick-"

"Go," he didn't even need to raise his voice as the rabbit knew exactly what he was feeling; hurt and utterly broken.

"Nick… Nick listen, you don't have to-"

"I've let you go once and I can't promise I'll do it again." Cold air blew out from the open hole, a deep reminder of how things would have gone terribly wrong.

Despite all the warnings that the fox had expressed, Jack decided to press on. "I know you wouldn't do it Nick, and I know you'd never hurt a friend…" he took a step closer. Big mistake. A clawed paw flew at his collar as he hauled the rabbit up from the ground, he wrestled to break free as Nick's fingers tightened. Slowly but assuredly his breaths got shallower, his limbs grew numb as his flailing reduced; he was going to die. Just as he took one last gasp the fox opened his paw and he landed on the ground with a thud.

"Go." Was the final warning. Jack got up and left.

…

…

"Your point is?"

"My point!? Do you even know what came next!?"

"Not a single clue." Jack took another sip from his cup.

"Well for starters, Grandmama died." That hit him like a train as he practically spat out his water, it was then when Nick noticed the falter on his lips, there was a hint of guilt. "You did it didn't you," the fox accused, pained at the fact someone would even consider such a thing, "you tampered with the cars, that's why it swayed uncontrollably and crashed."

The buck smacked his lips and used a paw to brush through them, "can't blame me, I was doing what I was told to do."

"Right," he was in disbelief, "I'm pretty sure you were told to install the tracking devices, not slowly murder the family."

"I had no choice, you got in the way." The way Jack said it sent a chill down his spine, _How can he even say that!?_ It was a tough thought to swallow, but upon further thinking it seemed that the sensation was not as foreign to the fox; heartlessness, emotionless, and completely rash actions, he had displayed it all before. Maybe, just maybe, they weren't that different at all. "Is that all you wanted to ask? I'm insulted," he deadpanned, lips stretching into smirk.

"Why are you here?"

"Excuse me?" Nick drew a breath of air and sighed.

"What brought you here to the Hopps' home?"

"Well…" he stood up from his seat and pushed the chair back in, "tonight the town's holding a celebration for the winter solstice. There'll be music and dancing and stars…" he walked up to the door while gesticulating, "I should probably get going," he took one last glance at the fox, "it's gonna be a romantic night." Nick's face went pale.

Hours went and before they knew it they were seconds away from the town square. The buck wasn't lying when it said the night will be romantic, the beautiful stars that littered the sky and the setting sun just beneath the horizon was the perfect setting for one to do a proposal or even a wedding, the dim yet warming camp fire only added to the ambience, it was just perfect. A little too perfect. Nick and Judy joined the celebration first while Stu, Bonnie, and the rest of the family stayed behind to have a celebration of their own, this would've allowed them plenty of alone time if it weren't for a certain buck that came and tagged along.

"Milady," Jack offered a paw at Judy, but she rejected it and crossed her arms instead.

"Jack," she sounded friendly yet a little cold, "here for the celebration too?"

"I'm here for you," there was no holding him back, whatever words that came to his mind went straight out through his muzzle.

"Excuse me!?" the fox interjected as the buck cocked an eye at him.

"Oh Nick! Didn't see ya there, why are you here anyways? Shouldn't you be asleep or something?" the buck quipped in a jolly manner.

"Foxes are nocturnal," Nick bluntly replied, "that's beside the point; what in the world are you doing?" The rabbit took his statement as a rhetorical question and turned to Judy instead.

"I've waited so long for this day Judith." The doe was slightly startled when he reached for her paws and grasped it in his. "Remember the promise we made? The one we told each other under these very stars?" she seemed confused, but soon realised what he had meant.

"When we were mere kits, Jack. We didn't even know what we were thinking." She withdrew her paws back to herself, "we were through when you left for the vixen." Something inside Jack shattered to pieces.

"Judy…"

"I'm sorry Mr Savage, but our time ends here," she stepped away from the buck and clung unto Nick. Using her free paw to wave at the buck, she urged him to follow. All three mammals got through the small crowd, Nick and Judy ahead while Jack tailed behind, and got closer to the fire, it was then when a soft tune began to play.

Nick, overwhelmed at how his little bundle of joy had picked him over another that she seemed to have loved dearly, sheepishly grabbed her paw and smiled. "You know she's waiting for you, right?" Nick called out to the buck who was standing several feet away from them, "she has never given up Jack." Both males shared a smile, "go." The buck nodded with determination, he walked back and vanished into the thick crowd. There was one last thing to do. "May I?" The song started to play as their feet moved to the melody.

" _Tale as old as time… true as it can be…"_

With smooth motions and light feet they danced, the world around them dissolving away instantly; they were all that mattered in this very moment.

" _Barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly…"_

Funny how this song was so relevant. How they managed to become what they are from mere strangers was beyond them, but they were, after all, fated to meet.

" _Just a little change, small to say the least. Both a little scared, neither one prepared…"_

" _Beauty and the Beast."_

Jack watched from the sidelines, bedazzled and amazed by the teamwork they displayed by the simple dance. It was very weird for the buck, but in all honesty, he no longer felt the fire and passion he once held for the doe, it seemed to have died off. _That's fine I guess…_ he smiled at the couple, _As long as she's happy…_

" _Ever just the same, ever a surprise. Ever as before, ever just as sure, as the sun will rise…"_

The song continued to play as the crowd swayed to the beat.

" _Tale as old as time, tune as old as song..."_

" _Bittersweet and strange finding you can change, learning you were wrong…"_

Who they are now was certainly not who they were before, two mammals that held prejudices against each other are now, paw in paw, in perfect unity.

" _Certain as the sun, rising in the east…"_

" _Tale as old as time…"_

" _Song as old as rhyme…"_

"Beauty…" the fox brushed a paw over the doe's cheeks.

"… and the beast." Their muzzles hovered over each other before hesitantly locking for a long and satisfying kiss, the crowd went wild but their cheering went unheard, they had each other and that was enough. That was all that mattered.

…

…

A rusty metal door creaked open as the heavy stench of petroleum filled his sense. The rabbit took a step through the door as he scanned its interior, there was nothing much to investigate, but the sound of soft humming brought him further into the building. There she was.

"Hi," the humming stopped. A mammal squirmed about beneath a car and emerged into the light. The buck's gaze met the mammals as a tear broke in both their eyes. "I'm back."

"Jack…"

"Skye." The vixen got up from the floor and leaped into his embrace, it didn't matter that she got dirt and oil all over their fur, all that mattered was that he is back. All that mattered to her was finally home.

" _Tale as old as time…"_

" _Song as old as rhyme…"_

" _Beauty and the Beast."_


	29. Mother Knows Best

**#29 Mother Knows Best - Tangled**

As morning dawns and evening fades, the musical chirping of many birds began to play as though on cue, their sharp shrieking passing through layers of concrete to reach the ears of a certain bunny lying next to a certain fox. Needless to say, the fox was not pleased. Nick was already awake when the cacophony broke the peaceful silence, he let out a grunt at the noise, annoyed at the fact the day was beginning and soon they'd have to leave this safe haven and go out into the real world. The doe however slept soundly curled up on his flank, oblivious to the day that had just dawned. Instead of getting pulled down by the weight of reality, Nick took this opportunity to appreciate his little bundle of joy, Judith Laverne Hopps herself. Just the thought that he belonged to her and she to him was a real heart warmer, a truth that he clung on to get through the days. _Her nose's twitching again…_ he thought with a smile as he brought a clawed digit to boop her snout, _Cute…_

Nick's attention then turned to the window which had a continuous stream of sunlight pouring into the room, it was a bit glaring considering the fox's sensitive eyes, so he got up, carefully, and pulled the curtains shut. With a soft yawn and a lazy stretch the fox cracked his knuckles and walked back to bed; he was still sleepy, and it was still very early, so everything else can wait. The vulpine hopped on the bed and shifted about to a comfortable position, he made sure that he was snuggled closely to the bunny beside him, but something wasn't quite right… _Right, pyjamas…_ The duo had been very cautious with how they behaved with one another ever since they stepped foot into the Hopp's compound, as such they decided it'll be better if they had actually put something on before they slept and not snuggle up completely nude. Judy had a loose nightgown on while Nick… He's not too sure why, but only his bottom half was covered in clothing, he probably got it off in the middle of the night due to the heat, he can't say for sure, but that was his best guess. Curious and in need for answers, he rubbed the sleep of his eyes and conducted a reconnaissance in an attempt to uncover the mysteries of his uncovering. It took a while, approximately ten minutes, before he managed to locate his pyjamas in a basket designated for dirty laundry. Why it got there? A strand of grey fur stuck to the inside of the shirt served as a vital clue. _Slyyyy bunny…_ he chuckled lightly and dropped it back into the basket.

"Oww my head…" Nick's ears perked at the groaning voice. Turning back to the bed he sees the rabbit fumbling about beneath the blanket trying her best to get out from it grasp but failing miserably in doing so, then with a hearty sigh and a shake of his head, Nick dives right in and joins her.

"Need some help fluff?"

"I need some painkillers; head's pounding like mad." She let out another groan as she sank her face into the cream fur of the fox.

"Figures; you had a little too much to drink yesterday. And last I check, you wittle bwunnies can't hold your alcohol." He said, booping her nose again as she flashed an annoyed glare. "Do you have any idea how drunk you got last night?" dread instantly filled her entire being.

"Oh gosh…" the thought was as painful as the headache, "What did I do?"

"Not telling." He said with a playful, almost evil smirk, truth was that she had passed out before she could do anything stupid, but he'd never let a go hustle such as this one go. "You tell me your little backstory with Savage, and I'd give a hint of your shenanigans last night."

"No need." Judy declared despite the pain piercing through her skull, her once naive and gullible demeanour fading away into one with confidence, "I'm pretty sure that I, an honourable police officer, would never do anything stupid with an intoxicated mind; I'd probably just knock myself out or something."

" _Probably_." He tried to sound sly to instill doubt, and for the record he did remarkably well, but Judy knew herself too well to be fooled, so she just leaned her head on his fur and began playing with the orange pelt.

"My backstory with Jack huh? Hmm, nothing much really, it was just immature and innocent love between two ten year olds."

"Nothing much? That _IS_ much mind you because it means I wasn't your first love!" he flopped over to his belly as Judy tumbled back to the bed. "Now I feel sad." He pouted his lips as the doe scooted back to his side after their momentary separation.

"Aww, wittle foxy woxy is sad. So…" Judy, now wide awake, picked up her phone from the bedside drawer and began scrolling through it, Nick watched on in confusion as she tapped on the screen. "Since we're on the current topic of first loves; who's 'Marian', by the way?" Nick still looked rather lost, so Judy cleared it up for him, "Age 22 you supposedly dated a grey vixen by the name of Marian, no? Then at 29 you met Vivi, don't think I didn't forget about her…" she watched as blood drained out from his face, his amber fur doing no good in hiding that. _Busted…_

"Wow. This is awkward." He blandly stated, "How long have you known this?"

"About the time you left for the academy. So yeah, mind explaining Slick?" She had done her research well and had been waiting for this very moment to blast Nick with all her questions, but a brief peck or her lips was enough for her to lose her voice, but it ended as soon as it began, much to her dismay. "Meh..." she squeaked in, in Nick's opinion, the most adorable way.

"You're a very needy bunny, aren't you?" he tapped on her nose, again, as her ears drooped behind her, betraying the frustration felt from the lack of affection they were allowed to show. "Don't worry Carrots, it'll all go back to normal in a day's time." He let out a soft sigh, the realisation that they were leaving Bunnyburrow soon had brought mixed feelings, joy that they'd be able to live their normal lives again, and yet a slight bit of disappointment that the weekends were ending and very soon they would be solving crimes and chasing down bad guys again. Maybe it wasn't too bad as they would actually be doing good for the society, but the thought endless paperwork was quite demotivating. Regardless of what is to come, Nick has resolved to make the best out of this last day in the Burrows, especially with those delicious blueberry pies. "C'mon fluff, let's go, before your parents catch me topless." He gestured to his bare chest before shuffling off the bed, it screeched loudly as his weight pressed against it. Judy nodded with a smile, and her smile was one of the most beautiful things Nick has ever witness, but right now all it appears to be is extremely creepy. "Hey! Quit staring!" he bantered playfully, arms swatting at her direction as though he was embarrassed, but really they had been too desensitised to the sight of each other's bare fur that they didn't even care.

The doe panicked when he had blatantly called her out and instinctively covered her lips with her paws, "Oh sorry! I was just…" she said, her cheeks and ears warm with a bright red.

"It's ok Carrots, I understand." Nick said in a shaky tone, "Being deprived of physical intimacy for two days is a little too long." He let out a sigh that he had unknowingly held before proceeding to get himself dressed, his thoughts clearing up as he went through his clothes. "Green or blue?" he called out from the closet.

"Anything's fine, but make it quick." Judy's ears perked towards the subtle yet distinct sound of pattering feet, "The horde's coming."

* * *

Saturdays, a brief moment in the week when school's out and families can enjoy time together, a day of relaxation and rejuvenation for the weary, and a whole 24 hours' worth of craziness and drama for the Hopp's household. What can you expect from a family of 312 kits?

"Uh, a little help please…" the fox's plea came as a soft cry for help from the position he was in: under a pile of younger bunnies. He wouldn't blame them for being excited, after all it is not every day you get to see a fox living in the burrows of bunnies, but their collective efforts to crush the vulnerable fox was starting to get too successful, and that concerned him.

"Alright guys, off the flimsy fox." The doe commanded the horde as they hoped off their victim and fled from the scene, it took mere seconds before all that was left in the hallway was Judy, her little niece Clover, and the hyperventilating and utterly horrified vulpine.

"I have stared death at the face. It was fluffy." With his eyes wide open and glued to the ceiling, he exhaled through his muzzle, a sense of relief coursed through his being, then a sense of dread; they haven't even reached the stairs. "Are… are they gonna come back to finish me?" lying on the carpet, he assumed a foetal position as he let the words slip out from his mouth, they say all predators are savages, but he'd beg to differ.

"Don't be silly Nick, they're just my siblings."

"Yeah, like 200 of them." He deadpanned.

"Roughly." She confirmed, "Here lemme give ya a hand…" the doe let her niece off her embrace and reached a paw to her partner, he gladly accepted her offering and has since never let it go. "What are you doing?" she asked as Nick's paw clenched harder.

"There are so many of them…" Nick, still quivering with fear, noted at the sight of an endless sea of rabbits. He didn't get to see this the day before as most of the younger rabbits were at school and the older ones were at the farm, but now that he did get to see it his childhood fears of being drowned in a crowd suddenly flared back to life. "So… many…" the doe laughed.

"Good luck." She said with a challenging smirk before vanishing into the mass of rabbits.

"Ca…Carrots?" Nick was honestly very scared; with a crowd of this magnitude, it was a legitimate fear. He thought about running back upstairs to hide, but his stomach had other ideas, so with a deep breath and a calming sigh, he walked right into the ocean of grey and brown fur. Squeezing through the multitude proved to be a struggle, but eventually he made it into the hall, there he met the patriarch of the family himself, Stu Hopps. The buck held a serious look as his gaze met with the fox's, he then nodded to the direction of the entrance, beckoning Nick to step outside, and left through the door himself. The vulpine gulped, it didn't look good. Being the polite and honourable mammal he was, the fox swallowed hard and stepped outside.

* * *

"Judy!" came a call from deep within the kitchen, "Bun bun!" it called again to catch the doe's attention, which it did as she identified the voice as her mother's and followed it right to her.

"Morning mom, what's for breakfast?" she glanced at the counter, drooling at the sight of many crispy baked pies. Bonnie didn't answer her question, she assumed it was rhetorical, but instead continued her tedious duties of cooking for the family.

"How was last night?" the older doe asked, breaking the silence between mother and daughter.

"It went well." Judy replied, a smile working on her muzzle as she recalled their slow little dance. "It was so romantic." She beamed in joy.

"Good to hear that! Anything else Jack mentioned?" her question threw Judy off guard, the doe, mouth half open and a piece of by in her paw, glanced to her mother with curious eyes.

"...Jack?"

"Yup, I mean you did say the night went well." Bonnie, still caught up with her endless baking, darted throughout the kitchen to retrieve more pies from the oven.

"Sorry to break it to ya, but me and Jack... it's over." The older doe paused in her tracks, "We're through, mom."

"Then... last night..."

"Was referring to Nick." Though Judy didn't notice, Bonnie's brows knitted into a frown for a brief second.

"I see..."

"Mom." Bonnie didn't respond. "Mom?" the doe got close to her mother and grabbed her arm, "You set us up, didn't you?" the older rabbit said nothing, the silence betraying her disappointment and annoyance. "I said it once and I'll say it again: Nick's the one for me." Judy said in a soft and almost emotional tone, "It's like we're meant for each other."

"A fox and a rabbit." Bonnie said bluntly, "Predator and prey meant for each other? He could easily kill you Judith!" she was frustrated with the response she was getting from her daughter, but kept her cool by keeping her voice levelled.

"It's the twentieth century mom! We're not barbaric animals anymore!" Judy began to raise her voice, anger welling inside her at the prejudice her very own mother was showing. Bonnie was silent.

"Do you know why we stayed in the Burrows? Do you know why we decided to settle here away from the city?" her tone was stern and intimidating, Judy took a step back. "It was for the family's safety, for your safety dear." She mellowed down as she took her daughter's paw in hers. "The city is full of dangerous mammals Judy, you were almost trampled by a rhino! Remember that? Your very first day in Zootopia!" the young doe's gaze were down casted, hurt by the fact that what was said was true. "Plus, you're a cop, and that means danger will always be around the corner..." tears threatened to fall as she thought of how easily she could lose her daughter. "We can't lose you, Judith." She brought the doe into her embrace, Judy in turn pushed herself off and placed her paws on her mother's shoulders.

"All the more I need Nick." She was most certain of what she said. "Just a few months ago, around the end of summer this year, I almost died." Bonnie brought a paw over her muzzle as she let out a gasp, "A vixen captured Nick and used him as a lure. I was their target." The elderly bunny was shocked, but her face soon contorted to one of disgust.

"This is why we hate foxes, they're always scheming!"

"But criminals extend beyond foxes: reindeers, mice, wolves, even hares you name it!" that was also true, so Bonnie decided to back off, just this one time. "But that's not the point mom." Judy reached back for her mother's paws which she had unknowingly let go, "Nick saved me. He took a bullet to the abdomen, for me." Tears began to roll off the doe's cheek; images of him lying inanimately on the cold hard floor, the look of fear he had when the gun was fired, the soft whimpers that escaped him when the pain grew unbearable, all these memories came flooding back at her. It was, undoubtedly, a very traumatic experience for both of them, and Judy was more than grateful that it had all ended like how it did; if the medics had arrived a little later, she would've lived a life without her partner. "So please understand, mom. I need him."

Her mother shook her head in an attempt to wrap this around her mind, the idea of losing a loved one was very overwhelming, so she took a while before she could say anything.

"I'm sorry." She finally said, "If that's how much he really means to you, we'll do our best in understanding." Not the reaction Judy was expecting, but if it meant that her parents would one day accept Nick for who he is and not what society claims he must be, she was willing to take it.

"Thanks." The doe wiped the tears of her damp fur and gave her mother a hug.

"You'd have to talk to your father about this though." Bonnie released Judy from her embrace.

"I already did…" she replied, looking out from the window of the kitchen. Through the translucent glass, she notices a pair of mammals, one with red fur and one with a dark beige. The doe sighs. "The battle's finally over." Then she smiled. "Love has won."

* * *

 **AUTHOR"S NOTE:**

Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, I've been really busy for some reason, and that reason's probably coz life is as such. Anyways...

 **ZOOTOPIA WON THE OSCARS** IUHWR(*HDUWIDUJ)SJF)F)J

it really deserved it and I bet everyone is as hyped as I am X)

Oh yeah and thanks for reading, feel free to review or message me your comments, they are greatly appreciated. Have a great week ahead!


	30. First Sign Of Spring

**#30 First Sign Of Spring - Bambi II**

"Dad..." Judy caught up with her father in the barn, "there's something I need to tell you." The buck, who was busy refurnishing the messy shed, placed the farming equipment he was carrying aside and turned to face his daughter, he'd already know what she was going to say; if her drooping ears and twitching nose was anything to go by. "It's about-"

"Nick," Stu interrupted her sentence, "it's about him, isn't it?" he let out a sigh, the cold environment crystallising his breath into a visible puff of air, "what about him?"

"I'm going to the dance with him tonight," she said, her ears still below her shoulders as she awaited Stu's reply, "just wanted to let you know."

"…ok," he had a disheartened look, "but what about Jack?"

"What about Jack?" she mimicked her father's tone of voice, "he'll probably tag along, but my guess is that he wouldn't stay too long." She shrugged her shoulders, not getting the hints Stu dropped on her, "but since we'll be heading back to Zootopia on Sunday, I'll clear my Saturday to spend some time with him." The doe nodded in determination, it was about time they did some catching up.

"Listen Judith, I don't want to burst you bubble, but I'm still not too sure about this whole thing between you and Nick. It's all fine that you're police partners, but a couple?"

"I don't see the problem," she quipped casually.

"He's dangerous Judy! All predators can be!"

"Dad, Nick's not like that."

"Then what is he like?"

"If you really have to know…" the doe walked over to a pair of chairs and dragged them both to where her father was. She pointed at the chair and took her seat, "where do I begin..."

…

…

His glare pierced through him as a sword penetrates through flesh, but there was something different in the glare he had this time, it felt… softer? The fox wasn't too sure why, but it was less intense than the last time Stu had stared him down. He swallowed hard when the fatherly buck nodded at the door and started walking towards it, this seemed rather familiar to Nick, too familiar. _This is EXACTLY how it began…_ he thought of the time he was chased out from the house, how the brown hare looked at him as they entered the room, how he had showered him with pleasant words and colourful phrases, _Wonderful…_ he concluded, fearing the worst.

Despite all that went through his head, the fox obediently stepped out from the door and closed it shut. He was met with cooling winds and warm rays of sun, a smile spread across his snout; spring was finally here. The mundane yet refreshing aroma of grass and leaves hit the fox's sensitive nose as the breeze coursed through his ruffled fur, a sensation of peace and tranquillity so common yet so profound that words can barely describe it. Nick's moment was cut short, however, as he was reminded of why he came out in the first place: Judy's dad. He glanced at the much older buck and took a steady breath, _It's gonna be alright…_ he repeated to himself, hopefully it will be.

"Nicholas," came the gruffly voice of the previously mentioned hare, "let's walk." He started strolling down the path leaving Nick behind with little time to catch up. The todd did a short sprint to get to Stu and reached his side in no time, he followed behind him silently, not a clue as to where they were headed to and what Stu had to say.

After a few minutes of uninterrupted walking, the buck before him stopped at an inclined slope; they were at the top of a small hill. There he sat on the thawing soil, undisturbed by the fact that his pants were getting dirty from the mud. Nick, a complete hygiene freak, squatted down instead.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" the bunny said, nodding at the sun that had risen just above the horizon, it burned with righteous warmth and light. "We used to sit here every Saturday just to watch the daybreak," he told the vulpine, "we always had picnics on this little pile of land, and she'd always fight with her siblings for that swing," he gestured to a tyre that hung unto a branch by a taut rope, memories of his early days as a father flooding his mind as he found the strength to smile. "Even as a baby she'd make a huge fuss if we didn't bring her here to see the sunset. She was a handful really…" he chuckled lightly. Still uncertain of where this was going, Nick decided to listen for the time being and leave the questions for later. Then Stu continued, "this place means a lot to Judy, Nicholas," he turned to the fox, "just thought you'd like to know; this place is an option for your marriage." That hardly answered anything.

"I'm sorry WHAT!?" Nick shot up from the ground with a loud yelp, eliciting a good laugh from the Hopps patriarch. The fox sheepishly faked a cough to hide his embarrassment, "I'm sorry, what?" he asked again, this time in a more controlled manner.

"Judy told me about everything, about the time you helped her with the Nighthowlers case, and also about your case, the one where you, uh, took a blow for her." His paw scratched the back of his pants as he slowly got up from his seat. "I just thought I'd say 'thank you', for saving the love of my life," he flashed a warm smile, "she seemed pretty persistent, and she can't stop talking about you, so don't you dare turn your back on her." He pointed a clawed finger dangerously at the todd, both mammals then shared a smile.

"Thank you," the todd mouthed, tears of joy falling freely from his eyes, Stu soon joined in with the waterworks as both mammals shared a hug. They held on to each other for quite some time, and in that moment the rabbit thought back to what his daughter had told him, the sincere words that made him make the decision of accepting a fox into the family, and that assured him that the fox really has a heart.

" _Not too long ago, early this winter, Nick's dad passed away," the doe said as a tear trickled down her cheek, "those last days they had shared, I witnessed it all. Dad, all Nick really wants is a family, a place where he'd belong and finally fell accepted and loved. And in all the possible places in the world, he has found it in me." With teary eyes, she looked up to her father, "I'm all he has left…"_

With a gentle pat on his back followed by a light shove, Stu emerged from Nick's embrace, he placed a paw on his shoulder, eyes welling with tears from the brewing emotions. "I'm sorry for your lost," he said with drooping ears, "you've been through so much... is there anything we as the Hopps household can do for ya? Anything at all?" Little did he know that that was all they needed to do; to be there for him. The healing had already begun.

"Maybe there is something I need..." the fox brushed off a tear and sniffled, "I'm gonna need someone to pick me up when I'm down, I'm gonna need someone to guide me when I'm lost..." he reached for Stu's paw and cupped it in his own, "I'm gonna need a father." He smiled as tears fell.

Stu hesitated, but soon dropped his head, "I don't think I qualify, not after what I've done to you..." he felt dejected; after the hurtful words he had thrown at him, and after all the prejudice he held against him, here he was standing before him asking for his acceptance and love. _What did I do to deserve this..._ he thought, his heart aching with regret over every action he made. "But if that's what you wish, I'll do my best," he said with determination while offering a smirk, to which Nick responded with a grin.

"Thanks," Nick paused a while, then finally continued, "dad." The buck's smirk grew with pride.

"C'mon son, let's go home." Both mammal then began their journey back to the house, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders, as they walked under the glowing sun.

.

Fear and anger feeding clouded skies,

Now vanish before their very eyes.

Prejudice and hate slowly fades,

As the light from love penetrates.

.

No more are they in long cold nights,

As now, in a leap of faith, they step into the light.

The beginning of a new season has finally begun,

Where past pains leave and love has won.

.

The long winter has come to an end,

Burnt bridges now can slowly mend.

Regrets and fears now they have none,

But what they have now: a father, and a son.

…

…

"We could've left later y'know," the fox, in his usual naive and whiny persona, poked on the cheeks of the worn-out bunny, "they were staring to warm up to me..." Judy couldn't help but smile, everything had turned out alright.

"So, what did dad tell you? I'm still clueless as to why you two came back as a sobbing mess."

"Well..." he straightened up on his seat in the train and looked out of the window, "we had a little father-son talk. You know, the usual."

"That's good, at least he didn't chase you out again," she forced a laugh, fox merely chuckled.

"Something he said did catch my attention though."

"Oh, and what's that?" the vulpine didn't answer, wordlessly he wrapped his arms around the doe and pulled her closer to himself. The world around him vanishing as he drew in deep breaths, his mind fixated on a single thought: a certain hill where they'd exchange rings and once and for all truly belong to each other. _Indeed, love has found a way..._


	31. Immortals

**#31 Immortals - Big Hero 6**

Several months have gone by in a blink of an eye; they've been waiting for far too long. It is time. The vixen knocked on the flimsy door, two consecutive knocks followed by a series of large pounding was the signal for entry, so she did as she had memorised and waited. Not long after the doors flung open, a warm air current blew out from the interior, _At least they upped the heater..._ she thought with a scowl; the previous meetings felt like they were conducted in sub-zero levels. Stepping into the room she noted the dim light that hung over the table, _Typical..._ now she knew for a fact they weren't the most creative mammals, but then again this ambience was most suited for malicious discussions, so she let this one slide.

Seated about the table were 7 canines, needless to say they were up to no good. Jaja, the short tanuki, was the first to notice the entrance of their team leader, she got up from her seated and greeted her. "Vex." The vixen nodded in acknowledgement. "Shouldn't Vivi be with you?" the raccoon dog asked, curious as to why she came alone.

There was a brief silence.

"She wouldn't be sitting in for the meeting, or any other meetings for that matter." Gasps came from the crowd as whispers were exchanged.

"Bummer, she still owes me a drink," Lyn, the African wild dog, said with a shrug. Little did they know that not only was Vivi no longer involved in their schemes, she was also never going to meet them ever again. Vivi was dead.

"We can talk about that later Lyn, let's not delay this any further."

"Says the one who was an hour late..." Mc Coy mumbled under his breath, but the glare he received made him seal his muzzle.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," Vex sent another glare at the coyote, "Vivi will not be with us anymore, she thought she was incompetent after her failure in our previous task earlier this summer and decided we were better off without her," she lied, "and that's probably true," she didn't lie.

"So we're K8 now?" the grey wolf voiced out from his seat, Vex rubbed her temples at the sheer stupidity of her comrades.

"Please hold all questions to the end of the session, thank you." She didn't even look at Wolfgang, but she could visualise the grin he had on his muzzle. "Anyways we've settled the score for Lyn, somewhat for Vivi, so all there's left is me and Jaja." That was how they rolled, each canine would have a chance to get revenge for how badly society has treated them, they figured after their group was done they'd offer other mammals their "services", then maybe the world would be a better place.

"And us?" Conner, the dole, asked with a raised paw.

"Ladies first gentlemammals, ladies first," Lyn bared her fangs in a savage smile, the male canines took note and backed off.

"Right," Connor agreed In defeat, Lyn smiled victoriously.

"Ja the ra(coon), you're being awfully quiet, anything you'd like to share?" The wild dog asked as she noticed the unusual silence of her friend. The mammal in questioned lowered her head and sighed.

"If you all would agree..." she started in a sheepish tone, "I'd like to go first." Finally she confessed. The other canines, not knowing how to respond, played along instead.

"Well, sure why not? You've got anything planned out?" Ore, the short eared dog who was also acting as the secretary, asked her as he jotted down some notes.

"Actually..." she fumbled through her bag before revealing piles of files and documents, each contained information regarding a potential target, their names, address, occupation, family relations, criminal records, daily routines, and even blood type, medical records, and present bank account records. To each file a sticky note was pasted on the front cover, written on it was when, where, and how they would attack the respective target. It was all in great detail, from the direction the target will be facing to the knife or chemical they will use to exterminate them. They expected nothing less from a master assassin. "Here, take one each," Jaja pushed the files towards the centre table as the pile collapsed and scattered everywhere. There were so many that each canine could easily grab three or four with plenty more to go around.

"Wow," Came their simultaneous sound of amusement.

"How did we not notice this when you stepped through that door?" Chris, the maned wolf chemist, noted in amusement.

"This sling bag's bigger than you can imagine," Jaja replied with a smirk as she hoisted the said bag in the air, it looked as though it could only fit two notebooks and a pen, but that surely has been disproven, "anyways, have a read," she gestured at the files and sunk deeper into her chair. She finally felt light and relieved again after getting this off her chest, so she let out a sigh of contentment as more gasps came from around the table.

"Such rich information and so precise plans, how long did it take to make all these?" the maned wolf, still baffled, exclaimed as he flipped through a file, "species: rat; age: 32; blood type: B+; method of extermination: introduction of A+ blood type." He read from the file, "Detailed, but I'm not too sure if it's practical," he closed the folder and set it aside. Jaja seemed a bit concerned.

"I guess not all are do-able..." scratching the back of her head she flashed a sheepish smile, her paws then extended towards the files and began scooping them back into the bag. Her actions were stopped by another paw on her arm, Vex's paw to be exact.

"Leave it," she commanded, "I'd like to have a read," she said so in an authoritative manner, but her soft smile portrayed otherwise. Her demeanour instantly switched back to one with authority, "Anyone not interested can step out right now, there's the door," she pocked her thumb towards her back and pointed at the door. Silence ensued as the group of canines eyed each other, no one dared to make a move. "No one?" she asked again, even more gazes were exchanged, "then I'd expect full cooperation, thank you." Vex picked up another file from the centre and started reading quietly. The others, not knowing what else to do, did the same as the grey fox.

The meeting went on for another half hour in absolute quietness, no one said a single word, all heads were down as they skimmed through the pile of documents. It was not until the head of the pack slammed a file on the table did the continuous silence break.

"This one," a clawed digit poked on the plastic cover of the file, "we'll start with this one." She tapped the document several more times before tossing it to the centre. "Stack up the rest and set them aside," she ordered as the canines gathered the scattered files together, "we've got some planning to do."

…

…

Everything was going perfectly well, their target, a female polar bear who was 22 years of age, was walking down the street as she always did every night. As foreseen, she had an expensive purse strapped over her left shoulder and was currently chatting away on her phone, not a single care was given to her child that was lagging behind her. What was unforeseen though, was yet another bear cub waddling just behind the target and a motherly grizzly bear strolling down the same path. She cautiously watched on as her own cub casually played with the young polar bear, a smile made its way to her muzzles as both cubs swatted at each other's paws and giggled.

"Whenever you're ready McCoy," Jaja, watching the scene from atop a nearby building, said into the headset as she noted how their target had distanced herself from the others. The coyote grinned, his finger tightened around the trigger when the street lights flickered, rendering his sight on the target.

"HEY! I TOLD YOU TO STAY BESIDE ME!" came the scream of the lady polar bear, her sudden realisation that her child was not next to her caused panic and frustration to set in. She turned about to study her surrounding when she finally laid eyes on her child, stepping towards him she drew her paw back and brought it down to his cheek in a tight and painful slap. The young bear fell to the ground at her sheer force. Instinctively the parental grizzly bear ran towards the cub and picked him up, brushing her paws through his fur to inspect for any potential injuries.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" the mother grizzly scolded as the younger cub wrapped himself around his friend defensively.

"He's my child, who are you to meddle!?" she quipped, her tone softer but still sharp and hurtful.

"Now!" Jaja's voice buzzed through his ears. The verbal argument that unfolded before them soon turned to a full fledge fist fight, and this only made it more difficult in assuring an accurate aim. "NOW!" her voiced boomed aloud, he pulled the trigger.

The dart flew through the air with a slight whistle, groaning soon came when a loud thud sounded from below them. Gasps were heard, followed by footsteps that dashed away from the scene.

"Got it!" McCoy exclaimed but only heard swearing and screaming come from the other end of the intercom. Confused and a bit annoyed at the lack of praise, the coyote looked down from his spot. "Oh," came his cold and seemingly emotionless voice. In sight was not one, but 2 bears lying on the ground, 2 grizzly bears to be exact. Upon closer examination he noted that both were still panting and still very much alive, but the younger one was in complete tears. Vex soon came into sight, she quietly picked up the cub, who struggled in her grasp, and carefully brought him away. Seeing how after that his teammates slowly emerged from their hidden locations, he too decided to place his equipment aside and made his way down the stairs. The remaining seven members joined the bear on the ground who was slowly fading away. Her breathing heightened as she noticed the crowd circling around her, and in a soft and raspy voice, she spoke.

"Do whatever you want to me... just... spare my child..." a tear broke, "please..." her chest began to sink lower at each consecutive breath. Jaja was the first to fall on her knees beside the bear, tears freely flowing down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry..." she confessed, "you weren't suppose to be the one... You were such a great mother. I'm... I'm..." she chocked on her words as she spoke. "Make an antidote Chris, MAKE AN ANTIDOTE!" she got off from the ground and threw several weak punches at the maned wolf. He just stood there and stared.

"I'm sorry ma'am..." he said from where he stood, "But it's too late." Her eyes flickered as the poison kicked in, whimpering and even more groaning came as the pain of the poison overwhelmed her. The guilt almost shattered the maned wolf; he was told to make a poison that would inflict pain to the vey last second of the victim's life, now watching his creation cause so much ordeal to an innocent life, he can't help but feel disgusted at himself. Although, what more different would it have been if the dart had hit their intended target instead? He started to question their organisation's rash actions. It wasn't long before silence settled back on the crowd, each canine occupied with their own thoughts.

"C'mon," the raccoon dog said as she dried her tears, "let's finish what we started." Hesitantly they got out their tools and began to sweep the scene clean, clearing any traces that may lead back to them. "Hang in there ma'am, the medics are coming." The said bear gave a weak nod as she helplessly laid on the ground, her thoughts fixed on nothing else but her own child. With a deep sigh Jaja plucked the dart out from the bear's neck, placed it into a plastic bag, and left the area. Regret and fear pricking them every few seconds, they had made a mistake. A grave mistake.

…

…

"Hurry up you big baby! We're gonna be late!" the doe made a dash for the precinct, a whiny fox tailing behind her.

"But I want that smoothie..." he let out a disheartened sigh as he left his cravings unattended to. Within seconds they had made it through the door and, in the nick of time, tapped in for work.

"Great! We're good, it's all good. It's all-" Judy, still trying to catch her breath, said as her attention shifted to a short mammal just beside the counter; he had dark brown fur and appeared to be a bear, due to his height and quiet nature he went unnoticed by the usually observant cheetah. "Hey there little guy." The doe approached him as he sheepishly turned to face her, Nick watched from beside her. "Anything I can help you with?" the cub nodded his head.

"Hi miss bunny, my name is Koda," he said with a faltering smile, "I can't find my mommy, please help me." The cheery demeanour of the duo turned grim; they had received the news earlier this morning.

His mother was dead.


	32. Baby Mine

**#32 Baby Mine - Dumbo**

"Ms Bunny, when's mommy gonna be back?" the little cub asked as he took a sip of his hot chocolate, "it's been awhile and I'm a little worried..." the frown he wore was absolutely heart-breaking. Judy, weighing the cost of telling him the truth as compared to telling a white lie, let out a sigh at the child's questions.

"..." she didn't know how to answer. "Have you had breakfast Koda?" she started, her look of despair dissolving into a smile as she pushed the uncomfortable discussion of his mother aside.

"Well now that you mention it..." Koda looked down at his stomach as it let out a loud growl, both mammals chuckled in response, "I'm famished!" The doe slowly released her breath, glad that she just dodged a bullet, though she was pretty sure this topic would re-emerge sooner or later.

"Great! Anything you'd like to eat?" she hopes off her office chair and paced towards the door, after retrieving her keys she got back to the cub, "breakfast is on me!" she tried to sound jolly to alleviate the moody atmosphere.

"Hmm..." the child thought out aloud, "oh oh how about salmon? Momma makes the best salmons in the world!" Koda exclaimed loudly, Judy gently frowned.

"Is that so..." her arms dropped to her sides as the hole in her stomach sank even deeper. Blinking away a tear that had formed, the bunny reached for the child and tossed him up in the air, "c'mon buddy, let's get ya something to eat!" he struggled at her tight grip, but soon allowed himself to be carried in her embrace as both animals left the office. _I'm sorry Koda, so very sorry..._

Meanwhile in an isolated alleyway in Sahara Square, Nick and his trusty partner, Shell, had just emerged from the cruiser that they had brought with them to the crime scene. The environment was a cloudy and dark one, it was as though it was emitting an ominous aura. The fragrance of burning sand was the first scent to meet with the duo, but what soon followed was the stench of rotting flesh. With an eerie creak, Nick unsealed the closed lid of the rubbish bin, the horrendous smell of decaying meat slapped them even harder as the body was exposed to the air.

"Terrible," Shell dully noted as he approached the body that was dumped in the trash, "who'd ever do such a thing?" he asked rhetorically. Nick, disregarding Shell's comment, pulled out his flashlight from his pocket and switched it on, he then took a long look at the body before gesturing to some polar bears that were with them.

"Get her to forensics," he commanded as the bears, with gloves and face masks on, went through the dumpster and retrieved the body. They placed it in a bag, brought it into their car, and before long they rushed back to the ZPD. After that was done the canines got their tools and got to work; they had a case to crack.

"Wow, it seems like they didn't bother cleaning up," the wolf noted as he noticed the countless strands of fur that were scattered near where the body was, "then again, this is a dumpster…" he added, dejected.

"Any signs of a murder weapon?" Nick said as he joined Shell in searching through the pile of rubbish.

"Not really." He took a step back to assess the scene as a whole, this effectively allowing him to take note of anything out of the ordinary; one thing stood out from the rest.

"That's-"

"A die," Shell stated as his paw held up a small red cube that he had picked up from a hidden corner of the bin, "a standard six faced die." After slipping his paws into a pair of gloves, Nick took the trinket from the wolf to further examine it.

"These were the same ones we saw for the capsaicin case," the fox explained as Shell tapped his chin.

"Now that you mention it..."

"Also, I recall seeing one in the hotel where the victims of the Pipestry case were murdered. Perry said he'll get that analysed, but now that I think about it, it kinda just disappeared…" little lightbulbs began to click on as the dots started to connect, "these cases are all connected, how could we have missed that?"

"Then again, even I have a set of these dice at home," the wolf interrupted, "what I'm saying is that anyone could have decided to throw this die into this dumpster, so there's a high chance it isn't even relevant to the case!" he tried to rationalise the best he could. Nick grew silent; he was right, it could all just be a coincidence.

"No..." the vulpine thought hard, "no... this can't be a coincidence, I've seen this die before..." he strained every neurone he had in his head to bring out any memories that may be of help, but alas his hard efforts were to no avail.

"Like I said, it's so accessible anyone could have planted this die! And I know it's so accessible because I keep losing mine and constantly have to buy new ones," he barked out a chuckle as he thought of how frequent he had replaced his missing dice.

"And why exactly do you need dice?" Nick, folding his arms, asked suspiciously.

"Somewhere along my teen years I've decided to hold on to these as good luck charms," the wolf explained as he gestured to the cube in Nick's paw, "sounds pretty superstitious for a science guy like me, but I guess I needed a little magic in my logic bound life," he ended with a sigh.

"Well I really hope that die's really magical," the vulpine noted as he looked back to the dumpster, "we've got a lot of digging to do." They dropped the die into a bag and got right back into the hordes of trash.

…

…

"Wow, that was deeeelicious!" the little cub exclaimed as he, with his right paw in Judy's grasp, leaped in joy, "that was probably the best salmon I've ever had! Besides mommy's of course." The doe gulped at the mention of his mother.

"That's... that's great!" she tried to match his enthusiasm, but her wobbly smile betrayed her discomfort, "let's head back to the ZPD, you'll get to play with uncle Benny again!" Koda threw a punch in the air as he dashed off in the direction towards thee precinct. "Hold up!" Judy called out before sprinting to his side. "You're fast for such a little guy," she took deep breaths of air as she did her best to pace herself with the child, "anyone ever told you that?"

"Oh sure, my friends say that all the time," Kods replied, his nose pointing up in pride as he did so, "I'd outrun a cheetah if I had a chance!" he giggled out aloud, "I'll outrun uncle Ben!" The bunny joined in the laughter as she imagined how Clawhauser would react to this challenge; she imagined him going pale after hearing the word "race", then he'd probably collapse after seeing how quickly Koda ran; he will be no match for the kid.

"Don't underestimate that fella, under all that fluff he's still a cheetah at heart," Judy poked the cub's cheek as her laughter died off into a smile, _wouldn't it be nice if we had a child... wait what?_ She shook her head, clearing the thought as quickly as possible, _what in the world?_ She questioned herself, but there was no doubt that her instincts were telling her she needed to care for this child, and that she needed to make sure he was by her side all the time. _Funny how that works, he's not even a rabbit!_ It just goes to show that maternal love extends beyond one's species. "Anyways..." she said after clearing her head, "when we get back I'm gonna have to leave you with Clawhauser for the rest of the day." Koda's smile flipped around at her words.

"Awwwww," he whined, disappointed that she'll be away from his side.

"Sorry, but duty calls," she rubbed on the badge that was pinned on her bosom, Koda marvelled as the gold-plated shield reflected the bright morning sun.

"Wow Ms Bunny, you seem very busy," he rubbed his chin in contemplation, "but it must be so cool to have a badge like that! I wish one day I'll have one too!" he pointed a digit at her shiny badge. The doe smiled warmly.

"You'll get one just like it when you grow up."

"Ya think so?"

"I know so." With that the happy child nodded with a sloppy grin, his pace heightening as his mood soared.

During their walk back to the ZPD, Judy took a long moment to observe the child under her care; despite all that had happened Koda had always remained positive, whenever Judy glanced at his direction she was always met with his warm smile. It pained her to think that all this will change upon their arrival at the precinct, for that will be when they broke the news to the young, oblivious child. _I'm so sorry…_ a little tear broke as it rolled down her cheek.

"Are you alright Ms Bunny?" the cub, catching on to her emotional moment, asked in a kind and concerned manner, his brows knitted together as he thought about the cause of her emotions. His conclusion was not too far from the truth. "You miss mommy too don't you Ms Bunny?" Her eyes grew wide at his response. "Yeah, I miss mommy too…" his steps slowed down as he noticed a seat, he then grabbed Judy's paw and pulled her towards the bench. After climbing up to take his seat, he continued, "I had a dream about mommy last night," he admitted, his smile faltering as he spoke, "it was kinda weird, everything was kinda bright and mommy was glowing in an orange colour," he described the scene to the best of his memory as Judy listened intently, "then mommy said something to me, I can't really remember what, but after that she flew up to the sky and disappeared…" the cub looked Judy in the eye, "mommy's not here anymore, is she?" after many hours of holding it in, Koda finally broke down.

"I'm so sorry…" the doe embraced the child as he sobbed loudly, his wailing and tears betraying the pain he felt at the realisation that the only mammal he had left in his life was gone.

They remained on the bench for several more minutes, that is until the young cub, thoroughly exhausted from the emotions, had drifted back into a deep sleep. With a sigh, Judy carried him in her arms and began her journey back to the ZPD. _We'll do what we can do bring down those responsible for this…_ she resolved, her fire for justice burning brighter than before, _I promise…_

…

…

The noisy world gradually dissolved into a white area as the cub walked, on all fours, aimlessly in the borderless field. He looked around the area in search of something, what it was he didn't know, but what he did know was that he needed to find what he was looking for. It took a while, but finally something came into the monotonous sight; a glowing orange light. He began to dash towards it as the blob of light became more distinct, what once was a mere dot slowly took form as he got closer, and finally after one last sprint, he reached what he had come for. He began to sob.

The glowing figure didn't speak, it just picked up the cub and brushed off his tears.

" _Baby mine, don't you cry… baby mine dry your eyes…"_

" _Rest you head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine…"_

It held him close to its chest, and with a soothing purr it rocked the child to sleep.

" _From your head to your toes… you're so sweet goodness knows…"_

" _You are so precious to me, cute as can be, baby of mine…"_

His consciousness slowly left him as sleep overpowered his system, the last thing he saw was the smile on the figure's face.

" _Baby mine, baby mine, baby… mine…"_

Everything else vanished into darkness.


	33. I Can Go the Distance

**#33 I Can Go the Distance - Hercules**

"Again!?" A muffled scream came from the laboratory as several loud bangs followed suit, the source of the cacophony was none other than Shell who was currently attempting to permanently plant his face into his desk. Nick, after hearing and following the noise to whence it came, entered through the door, bringing with him several more samples for the canine to run some tests on. The grey wolf, face still against the table, didn't even bother to greet his partner, he just continued to sulk.

"What's eatin' ya?" the foxed asked, reaching for the printer as he noticed several pieces of paper sticking out from it. "Results from the fur samples..." he read the title, his voice gradually turning into a deadpan as his brows contorted to a frown, "Shell this is the FOURTH time today!"

"Bogo's gonna kill me..."

"Damn it wolf stop contaminating our evidence!" he screamed, arms flying about as he threw the results at the table; the results that showed that every strand of fur they collected from the scene all belonged to Shell. "Hours of searching down the drain just like that. Get a hold of yourself!" his tone grew harsher as he spoke. Sure Nick had a rather laid back character, but when other's lives are at stake, or more importantly his job on the line, he was an "all-business" mammal. He threw his arms up one last time in a display of his annoyance.

Shell let of a shaky sigh. It was that moment when the stress had finally set in; he suddenly snapped. With great force his arm flew across the desk, causing all the items on the table to come crashing to the ground. Snarls and low growls rumbled in his throat as he slammed his claws into the wooden table before him. With fangs bared dangerously he turned to the fox, hissing and growling as he tried to approach his defenceless, helpless prey, but stopping midway as his claws were stuck quite deep into the table, preventing him from advancing further.

"Whoa, take it easy buddy!" Nick backed up against the glass door, paws raised as a barrier between him and the perceived threat. He was about to make a run for it, but it seemed that the wolf's claws were much deeper in the table than he thought it would be, so instead he decided to stay and after several minutes, Shell finally settled back down. "You have a serious anger issue you know that?" Nick bluntly noted, to which he blinked at blankly; he didn't retort, nor did he apologies, all he did was kneel down to the ground and pick up the items he had rammed off the table.

"I'm sorry…" came a soft cry, Shell, cheeks doused in tears, leaned himself on the table and let out a shaky sigh, disgusted and ashamed at how he had behaved, "I don't know why this keeps happening, it's just so frustrating! Both my anger management problems and this stupid case!" The fox got to his side and shoved him lightly; a common display of playfulness the canines shared.

"We'll let this quietly slide, for your sake and mine." The vulpine crumpled the results sheet in his paw and tossed it into a bin nearby, after that he fished out a set of keys from his pocket and threw the said keys at the wolf, "we'll just go back and search again. Hopefully it'll be better than yesterday…" A brief flashback played as recollections of the past day came into mind; hours upon hours of investigation leading up to nowhere, all they had found were several random strands of fur, a red, translucent die, and a suspicious pile of dirt. _"Rainforest…"_ he remembers himself saying that in response to sniffing on the dirt, so he made a mental note to check on the results for that test as soon as possible, but first, got to get back to the crime scene. Within minutes they had got their equipment and met back at the lobby, they were about to leave the precinct when a tiny problem sprang up. A tiny problem by the name of Bogo.

"And where exactly do you think you're going?" Nick kept his cool, but deep down his heart was beating like a drum; as mentioned previously, his job was one the line.

"Why good afternoon officer Must Know Everything That Goes On Here," the fox chimed smugly, his words testing the patience of the precinct head, which proved to have grown exponentially after the addition of the fox into his pack. Instead of lashing out, Bogo merely scoffed, irked at the todd's statement yet itching to justify himself.

"I'm the head, I deserve and _must_ know everything that goes on in this building," he folded his arm to exert his authority, but Nick, at least on the outside, remained unfazed. "I expect an update on that case of yours soon."

"Tough luck; we still have no leads."

"What?"  
"What can I say? These criminals are pretty good at what they do, they-" The buffalo's thick arms thrusted towards the fox's collar as he pulled him close and stared him down.

"'Pretty good at what they do?' Seems like I can't say the same for you." His words were sharp and filled with the authority that was given to him, Nick's face went pale as his glare pierced through his soul.

"Heh heh, updates, got it." He released his paw and stormed away, leaving the fox panting for air as he collapsed to the floor. _Heh, that'll show him…_ a slight smirk pulled on his muzzle as an uncontrollable sensation of satisfaction and pride burst inside him; he had finally put Nick back in his place.

"Sweet crackers and nuts…" The fox was left dumbfounded, all he could do was pick up his stuff and make a dash for the exit.

"Hey! Wait up!" Shell tailed behind him, sprinting at full speed to catch up with the utterly shaken fox.

…

…

Here they are, back in a rather familiar situation, police tape circling around them and the wafting stench of trash lingering in the thin air. It was a little overwhelming to be here in this place again, and to think that today would most likely end the same way as it did yesterday, with the case no progressing any further, it was rather demoralising. Instead of delaying their search further, they hopped out of the cruiser and got right to it.

"You check the bin again, I'll look around the area," the fox instructed, to which Shell responded with a frown.

"Way to use your power to avoid digging through trash," he said sarcastically, displeased at the situation he was stuck in, "one day I'll get you back, just you wait!"

"Heh sure, whatever," he dismissed the wolf with a wave and walked out of the alley. Not more than two steps later his phone buzzed in his pocket, by instinct he put his paw into his jeans and pulled out his device. "Hello," he started after answering the call, "may I help you?"

"Got the results back from the soil you sent in, apparently you were right! It-"

"I'm sorry, who is this?" the fox cut his caller off.

"... I am not doing this again Nick, can't you just be serious for one day?"

"I am serious," he blinked as he replied, "I need a name or I'm putting down the phone this instant."

"Nick stop that! Nick!" Judy called out from the other end of the line as Nick's phone disconnected. "That idiot," she scowled; this wasn't the first time he did this when she called, and she had a feeling it certainly wouldn't be the last. The doe, defeated and very much annoyed, settled for a text message instead of another pointless call. After typing the message and hitting the 'send' button, she let out a sigh; sometimes that fox really gets on her nerves.

"Lab got back on the dirt, appears to be from the rainforest," Nick reported to his partner as his phone dinged again, "also they found something in the surveillance cameras," he said after reading the message, "we'll have to look into that too."

"That's great! Y'know what? How 'bout I go back first and start on that video analysis!" he began packing his items when a brown paw reached for his arm.

"Judy's already on it," Nick couldn't help but smirk at the look of devastation on his face; there was no escaping. The discussion ended with loads of grumbling and whining from the wolf, but it all died out as they got back to work, each canine sniffing out as much as they could in order to study the scene and get to the bottom of it all.

Almost as though they were cursed with a spell, yesterday had repeated itself yet again; maybe it was self fulfilling prophecy, or maybe it was just because they were that unlucky, either ways they were back at where they began with, back at square one.

"On the bright side, we got the strands of fur back," the wolf mumbled from the driver's seat, earning a grunt from the unamused vulpine beside him.

"If it weren't for you we wouldn't have spent so many hours again," Nick snarled, but it didn't have much effect on Shell as all he did was chuckle. The roads were clear with little to no traffic at all, so the trip back to the station was a rather brief one... that is until the car skidded in a full u turn and began heading towards the opposite direction. "What gives!?" thee fox yelped as the inertia drove him to the side of his chair.

"I don't know what got over me, one second I'm crazing doughnuts, the next my hand slipped," he wore a prideful grin over his muzzle, gaze locked on the road to avoid the vulpine's, "oopsie." Nick was bewildered at the wolf, not only did he prioritised his hunger over the case, he even beat a red light just for it.

"Unbelievable..." his muzzle was agape as the sight of the donut shop came into sight.

"A blueberry glaze cream cheese filling for you I presume?" Shell drifted the car into a parking slot and asked without missing a beat, "and a carrot one for Hopps. Be right back!" In a blink of an eye the door slammed shut as he made a dash to the store.

"...unbelievable." Nick was flabbergasted; how does the wolf read him so well? He didn't want to admit it, but he had been attempting to suppress the crazy craving for doughnuts he had acquired since he entered the ZPD this morning, and that tugging feeling hadn't been satisfied up to this point. Hopefully that'll change at Shell's return.

"Aww man sorry they're out of the blueberry ones."

"Wha!?" the fox jumped at the unexpected entry of the wolf.

"Too bad though, 'cause I had the last one to myself and it was deeeeeeelicious!" he smacked his lips and licked his thumb, savouring every moment of the fox's displeasure. "Here's a coffee one though, hope that'll be an appropriate compensate." He passed him a small box containing two perfectly circular coffee coated doughnuts, he sighed but ultimately accepted the compromise.

"A doughnut's a doughnut, I guess..."

"That's the spirit!" Then without another word the engine coughed back to life and the cruiser was back on thee road. As the fox took the moment to appreciate the reenergizing treats, he also took a moment to commend Shell on his driving; though he can be reckless and unobservant at times, but there was no denying he was one good driver. "Hey! One of 'em's for Judy!" Shell's paw stretched towards Nick and grabbed the box away from him, this in turn caused the car to swerve into the adjacent lane. Fortunately, there weren't any passing cars or else the cruiser, and their reputation, would have taken a huge blow. _I take that all back..._ he thought with a shaky sigh.

"Emm, we're here, you can get off now," Shell said as he reached for the box with the last donut that was on the dashboard, "we need to start processing the evidence; Bogo's expecting updateeees!" he chimed with an annoying tune.

"Don't forget that this is your fault," Nick said with gritted teeth, "let's go." Both grabbed their belongings from the back seat and left the cruiser, as they walked into the ZPD a bolt of grey came dashing out from the entrance, it was, not surprisingly Judy.

"Need any help?" she offered, the fox's annoyed facade melting away into a smile.

"Yes actually, we need this case solved in two hours, if you don't mind," with a grin that was somewhat pleading, he tossed some documents at the bunny, who received it from the air with ease.

"What's this? A fox needing assistance from a mere rabbit? That's hard to come by," she retorted with a smirk, her gaze challenging the vulpine's pride. "Whatever, what matters is that we get this al resolved and take this outlaw off the streets, for the city, for Koda..." A brief silence engulfed them as they pondered upon everything, how it can happen again if they failed to catch the criminal, how many lives hung over a thin line that they were charged to be responsible of, and how that line thins further upon every passing hour. "We have to stop this."

"Not gonna help if we stay here sulking away," a playful voice came from the wolf as he flashed a smile and beckoned the duo to enter, both complied as all three mammals stepped through the door, hopeful and expectant for the best.

...

...

Three simple knocks sounded from the old wooden door, all of which varied in volume and intensity. It was still early in the morning, about half pass five, and Bogo was not in the mood for anyone's company, especially since he wasn't expecting any until after seven thirty. With the caffeine still slowly making its way throughout his system, Bogo let out a sigh and grunted.

"What?" His voice was rough with fatigue, but he sat right up as three smaller mammals entered the room. "You're not suppose to tap in until seven."

"Can't tap in at seven if you never left," Nick performed an informal salute with all the strength he had left. Bogo sighed.

"Whatever, what do you want?" Both mammals, a fox and a wolf, jumped up to the oversized chairs and took their seats in the centre of each respective one.

"Remember when I said these criminals are pretty good at what they do?"

"Obviously."

"Well I was wrong-"

"You'll get used to it." The fox's raised finger dropped as his grin wavered.

"Ouch," he deadpanned, paw against his heart as Bogo's muzzle itched for a smirk, "anyways, I was wrong about that and apparently they're not as professional as we thought."

"As _you_ thought," the chief corrected as Shell placed several images on the desk between them. "And what's this?"

"It's a photo of the culprits, all eight of them have been spotted by a camera that's situated in an alleyway located in the Rainforest district." The wolf placed more images onto the table.

"Not only did we get their faces, we also got their ids," the fox reached into another file and produced several documents of the suspect, "we know for sure that these were them because..."

"...because?"

"They were the ones who nearly killed Judy..." a moment of silence came with the resurfacing memories, images of that day flashing through his mind as Judy's desperate screaming rang loudly in his head.

"Wilde." A stern, cold voice brought him back from the ordeal, "you good?"

"Yeah..." he sunk into his chair and sighed.

"Good. So when can we bring them in? Do we have their location?" the buffalo begin picking up the pieces of paper and putting them into a file of his own.

"Well..."

"...well?"

"We... don't exactly have their location," the vulpine sheepishly said, to which Bogo grunted in annoyance. With his thick fingers he rubbed the bridge of his nose, the headache eased as the coffee started kicking in.

"Well then, what do you suggest?" he ceased pinching his nose and looked up to the two canines before him, "I hope you have a plan."

"We do, sir," the wolf answered with a nod, "after some thinking and analysis we concluded that this team of ruffians only act at a certain trigger, so if we were to pull on that string we can get them to emerge from hiding, then we can lock 'em up for good."

"And what will this trigger be?" Both canines glanced at each other with a prideful grin.

"Me." Nick stood up on his seat to meet the gaze of his superior.

"… very well."

"What?" the fox flinched at how easily Bogo had agreed to their suggestion, "that's all? No, 'will you be fine with this Wilde?'? No 'this is a stupid idea you could get yourselves killed'? None of that?" Nick's tone matched Bogo's rough one as he did his best to impersonate the chief, but with the humour aside, he certainly was fearful that they were getting what they asked for far too easily. "No objections whatsoever?"

"None," Bogo responded coldly, "these mammals have eluded our sight for months now, we have to do whatever it takes to stop them," he folded his arms and supported them on his chest, "you have two weeks to make all the necessary preparations. After that, we begin the operation immediately."

Profusely sweating and nearly fainting, the fox's mind ran wild at the thought of being used as bait. "Hold on, we don't even have a solid plan yet! I guess we have to delay this until it is all finalised!" he said before jumping off his chair and pacing towards the door.

"I'll assemble a team, they'll have everything sorted out, all you have to do is be prepared." Nick stopped in his track as he allowed his shoulders to drop, his world slowly collapsed as reality slowly sunk in to his head, reality that he needed to do this to safe the countless lives of others, even if it means putting his own on the line. A tear began to form on the corner of his eye when a reassuring paw pressed on his shoulder. Or rather, a reassuring hoof. "Don't worry Nicholas, I wouldn't allow that night to repeat itself," he offered a warm smile, "the ZPD will have you covered." The fox brushed off a tear that threatened to fall, his fears of the past dissolving into confidence for the future.

"Yes sir," he said.

"Good. The team will brief you about the operation in a few days' time, meanwhile you can start training for paw-to-paw combat. Hopefully you will never have to use it," Bogo instructed, to which Nick gave a sloppy salute. "Now go, both of you, there is much to be done." The duo got their files from the table and began making their way to the exit. "Oh, and one more thing," the buffalo's voice caused the two mammal's necks to snap to the back, "you better get in with the training too Shell, you'll be working on the field alongside the others."

"Yes si- wait what!?" A paw dragged him out through the door before he could react, once they entered the hallway the wolf could barely stand, just the thought of being on the field causing every fibre of his being to tremble. "No no no this can't be…" In his moment of hysteria, a certain bunny emerged from the shadows to join with the two.

"Don't worry Shell, I'm sure you'll do a great job!"

"Y'know eavesdropping's kinda illegal right?" Nick quipped at the smirking bunny, his grin matching hers as he subconsciously shifted to her side, "and yeah, little Shelly here's gonna begin his career on the field!" he rubbed his paw in the wolf's head in a demeaning manner.

"Stop that," the doe swatted at the amber paw, "don't worry Shell, really, you'll do a good job." She smiled, hoping that the positivity was sufficiently contagious.

"Mmm, I dunno…"

"Listen, there are mammals out there that are counting on us for their safety, and there are some hoping for closure…" images of Koda flashed through her mind as she said so, "you said so yourself that you wanted to help those in need, and now is your chance."

"Plus, the big B. doesn't simply allow any mammal to go on the field, so I'm pretty sure you've got what it takes!" the fox gave a thumbs up as he winked at his canine friend.

"I guess…" the wolf thought briefly, "I guess you're right. What's a better time to prove myself than now?" his terrified, doubtful demeanour transformed into a confident and determined one, "in fact, I have a proposal." The other two mammals eyed him curiously, "how about a battle? Paw-to-paw combat between us canines and that doe."

"Uh excuse me, 'that doe' knocked out a rhino," Judy retorted as Nick reduced into a panicking mess, "anyhow, you're on! This Friday at two o'clock sharp," she tugged on her collar and turned her back against them, "see you boys in the ring." And with that she walked away, leaving the two canines to themselves.

"What one earth!? You're gonna get us KILLED!"

"What? After all, she's just a bunny, how bad can it be?"

"Oh, it's baaaaad," the fox warned, but it seems like Shell had already made his mind. "Whatever, since that's already been decided, all we can do is prepare."

"And prepare we shall," the wolf said before turning away and heading back to the lab. _And then, I can finally prove myself, and prove to myself that I can be brave and strong… I can finally be accepted into a pack, and… I can finally belong…_

* * *

 ** _AUTHOR'S NOTE:_**

 **Sorry about disappearing for awhile, I've been on a trip with my family to catch up with them, so yeah that's what it's been like... Anyways I hope that I'll be able to get back to a reasonable pace soon, heh heh.**

 **Have a great week ahead! Also don't forget to rate and review!**


	34. When Will My Life Begin

**#34 When Will My Life Begin - Tangled**

The blanket above her shuffled violently causing her to slip away from her blissful dream, the view of the tranquil meadow soon dissolved into a cotton sheet as her consciousness came back into her being. Rubbing her eyes and looking around, Judy took notice of the suspiciously large empty space beside her, as well as a suspicious lump of orange standing idly several feet away from the edge of the bed.

"And what do you think you're doing?" the doe mumbled with whatever strength she had.

"Getting clothed," the fox replied, "you should probably look away." Judy rolled her eyes.

"What I meant was why are you up so early? It's a Sunday, plus it's our off day!" sleep left her as she pushed herself up to get a better view of the fox, "why are you so off character?" the doe threw her arms in the air. "Is... is it a date? You're meeting with another vixen, aren't you!?"

"Well..." Nick turned away from the closet and threw himself back on the bed, his arms and legs squirmed about as he rolled himself around the doe, effectively bringing her into his fluffy embrace. "Yes, there's a girl that's won my heart." His heart beat directly into her ears, its rapidly increasing pace portraying the emotions he felt. "Is she a vixen? Very much so..." his clawed digit tapped on her nose causing it to wiggle involuntarily, he then wrapped himself tightly around her, the warmth the shared slowly easing him into a trance.

They held this position for about ten minutes, it was then when Nick decided to break away from their cuddle session; a large part of him longed for more intimacy, but alas he was already half an hour late, so he had no choice but to put his foot down, get off, and get going. "Sorry Carrots, Shell's waiting at the ZPD. He's all worked up over this little match of ours, but we should probably knock some sense into him; there's no chance he's beating you." His free paw gestured to the bunny while his other paw picked up his gym attire.

"Don't underestimate that wolf! He's got a lot more potential than you," Judy quipped, eyelids drooping both as a challenge and as a result of insufficient rest.

"Savage," he remarked, "I'll be off then." He slipped on his clothes and made for the door.

"Be back by dinner!" she exclaimed as the door slammed shut. _Now what should I do?_ She thought as she watched the minutes tick by, _can't waste a perfect morning..._ she leapt off the bed and got straight into the closet. "No, no, no... ah hah!" She reached deep into the wooden furniture and produced a cotton t-shirt, it had a picture of a carrot imprinted on the front and an image of a blueberry embedded at the back; they had bought a pair of these clothes in a bazaar several weeks ago as it seemed rather fitting for their preferences in fruits, plus they were on sale and were very cheap, much to the fox's relief.

After slipping it on, Judy skipped to the kitchen in little jolly leaps. "Breakfast, breakfast, hmm..." her gaze darted about the kitchen as she mentally pieced her perfect meal. "Bread, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms!" she bounced around the room to retrieve the ingredients from their respective locations, "mayonnaise, ketchup, tomatoes, juice!" the image of her complete vegetarian burger slowly fell into place. With all the bowls of foodstuff in her small paws, she paused a moment as she stared deeply into a relatively empty cabinet. "No..." she though to herself, her arm itching dangerously to reach into the drawer, "no... I wouldn't..." she fought back really hard, but alas to no avail; crispy bugs were now on the menu. "I mean, it wasn't that bad the last time I tried it..." she justified herself to no one in particular, then proceeded to prepare her long awaited meal.

That was how most her morning went, trying to figure out how to cook the bugs and regretting even making them in the first place, but soon a buzz from her phone broke her from this lifeless mundane. "Hello?" she spoke into the microphone, one paw pressing the device against her ear and the other busy fiddling with her unfinished food.

"Judy!" a shriek pierced through the speakers; it was Fru-Fru. "It's been so long how are ya my darlin'?" the shrew asked in a bubbly demeanour, but soon groaned as a series of wailing came from behind her, "sweety! Did ya give Judy her bottle? ... it's on the table!" she shouted across the room to, what the doe had assumed, was her mate, it wasn't very clear and sounded quite muffled as Fru-Fru had covered the phone with her paw. "Sorry about that, little Judy's been acting up again. Kids these days..." The bunny barked out a laugh at her comment, and having family with many young children, she knew exactly what she meant.

"So, what can I help you with?"

"Nothing much. Actually I called you coz I wanna invite you and Nicky over for little Judy's fourth birthday celebration!" the shrew said with her muzzle up high.

"Wow! Four years!? Sure doesn't feel like it!" the doe stopped to count the years: a year from meeting Fru-Fru to Nick joining the ZPD, another year from Nick being a recruit to a fully trained officer, yet another for Nick to be trained up as a CSI, and one last one since he first stepped through the laboratory doors. _Wow..._ all she could do was marvel at how time flew.

"So? Are both of you available? I'll send a limo there right this instant!" with a loud thud the phone dropped the floor, all that could be heard was Fru-Fru frantically calling for Raymond to "send a car straight to Judy's".

"Fru-Fru!" Judy yelled into the phone, "Nick's not around so we can't-" she paused instantly, "but I can, right?" she thought out aloud, there was absolutely nothing stopping her from going, yet it felt different without Nick by her side. _I'm free today anyways, might as well..._

"Alright Judy! They'll be arriving in just a sec. See you later, buh bye!" and with that the line cut off. The doe let off a sigh before placing her phone back into her pocket.

"Well, a party it is then!" she dropped the burger back on the plate and headed back upstairs for a more suitable dress. It is days like these that remind Judy of the fortunate life she has, with plenty of friends and family around, not to mention a partner to always be by her side. Her phone chimed just as she fumbled into her chosen dress. She grabbed the phone from the table and turned on the screen; said partner had sent her a text.

" _Just got the call from Fru-Fru, why do you get to have all the fun?"_ her eyes skimmed through the text. "Heh, too bad slick." She turned the phone off and slipped it into her pocket, her intention to ignore the vulpine evident in her lack of reply. She sighed as the doorbell rang, "let's go then." She stepped out from the house and locked the door behind her.

...

...

"Judy!" the shrew cried out from the table where she stood, "come sit here, we've got some catching up to do!" her eager squeals portrayed her excitement as her paw directed the doe to a chair. Ever since Judy stepped through the door they hadn't had the time to just sit down and relax, mostly because little Judy was making a lot of fuss, but the wailing finally stopped after the party ended and the baby finally fell asleep. "Sooooo, how's everything going?" she batted her eyes and rested her head on her tiny paws.

"Same old, same old..." the bunny replied, a wave of awkward feelings suddenly rushing through her being.

"Any advances?" the shrew asked, eyelids drooping as a tease. Judy didn't catch on, but before she could speak Fru-Fru had interrupted, "y'know, about you and Nick! He made a move yet?" The awkward sensations turned into a deep blush as the doe forcefully faked a cough.

"Like I said, *cough*, same old..." her coat hid most of the red, but even that didn't stop the shrew from seeing through her facade.

"Same old huh?" she restated, a grin slowly forming over her muzzle, "how'd you explain the overwhelming strong stench of fox I'm sensing?" she sniffed a few times for emphasis, "I don't see Nicky anywhere soooo..." she leaped onto the armrest of Judy's chair causing her to back away, "you're the only culprit here." The bunny swallowed the lump that formed in her throat; there was no escaping this one.

"Okay, fine, there are _some_ advances-" before she could continue Fru-Fru had already pulled out a stool and sat on it, she wiggled and squirmed to assume a more comfortable position, and she's going to need one to hear the tales the bunny has to offer.

"Alright so," she then pulled out a notebook and a pen.

"...so?" Judy gulped again, hesitant to reveal further. "That's about it I guess. He just marked me so-"

"AWW MAH GOSH JUDY HE MARKED YOU!?" Fru-Fru tossed her stationary aside as she screamed, "DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!?"

"... he's totally into me?"

"HE'S TOTALLY INTO YOU!" the little mammal's arms flailed about in glee. "Not only that, foxes mate for life! Judy he's picked you to be his partNER FOR LIFE!" her varying tone made the doe cringe.

"I guess, but that's about it." The shrew flashed a look of disbelief.

"That's it? No date? No proposal? No mushy lovey dovey stuff?"

"Well..."

"There it is!" she pointed her pen at the rabbit and got back to writing notes.

"I mean, we do share meals and all."

"From the same plate?"

"Never."

"Oh." She made a note.

"And we do hug occasionally..."

"Kissing?" The doe flinched.

"... let's go with a no." She was as red as a tomato.

"Alright... cuddling?"

"..."

'I'll take that as a yes," she wrote that down in her book, "what else do you share? A house?" The rabbit nodded. "A kitchen?" Another nod. "A...shower? A room?" An ever so hesitant nod. "...a bed?"

"Okay that's enough questions," the doe shoved herself deeper into the sofa as Fru-Fru's eyes beamed.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Her tiny paws moved swiftly across the semi filled paper, jotting down every single detail. "You guys are practically husband and wife! How is that 'same old'!?" She lost the grip on her book as she gesticulated. "Unless... how long has this been going on?"

"As I've said: no more questions," she placed her foot down both figuratively and literally.

"Well... aren't you a little mad?"

"I'm sorry what?"

"Mad, angry. He's been like that for a long time yet he hasn't made anything public, aren't you slightly mad at that?" the shrew asked, brows knitted in concern.

Judy chuckled lightly, "why do I have to? He's always kept stuff to himself, even since the first day we met!"

"I dunno, maybe he's... embarassed to be seen with you?" the shrew shrugged, "happened to me on my first date."

"Nahhhhh, Nick will never feel that!" she smirked at her friend, but she couldn't brush away the unnerving feeling she now felt.

"Hmm, if ya say so." The conversation died off there, and after having one last cannoli and sharing a few farewell hugs, Judy left for home.

...

...

"Well you're home early," a sarcastic voice came from across the room even before she locked the door. "What have you been up to?"

"Having more fun than you," came her snarky retort.

"That's true," Nick agreed, his face covered with a pillow as he laid on the flat sofa. "Still, you could've at least called to say you will be late; the carrot soup I made is all mushy now." The doe glanced at the dining table; only a sad bowl of cold soup sat idly in the centre.

"It's ok, I'll still have it though! Just gonna take my own sweet time to wash up."

"Sure, go ahea-"

"After all, that's what foxes do am I right?" she quipped, her tone deceptively sweet with a hint of spite. The fox pushed himself off the sofa and turned to the doe.

"Alright Carrots, what did I do now?"

"Oh no, nothing at all." She flashed a smile and hopped upstairs while Nick watched her, utterly confused, until she disappeared to the upper hall.

"What was that about?" he asked himself, hands fumbling for his phone as his question remained unanswered.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

SO SORRY FOR BEING LATE! Also so sorry for posting A/N as chapters, I've seen some fanfic writers do it and then replace them when they get a new chapter done, but ok I'll abstain from doing it...


	35. I'll Make a Man Out of You

**#35 I'll Make A Man Out Of You - Mulan**

"Be back before dinner!" the voice of the doe came from behind him as the door slammed to a shut. With a sling bag over his right shoulder and his phone in his left paw, he was ready to tackle yet another day. Or at least he's half ready, considering the fact he still wasn't caffeinated.

"Coffee, bus stop, ZPD," he repeated to himself as he paced along the empty sidewalk. It was a Sunday morning so many mammals had decided to either sleep in into the late afternoon or stay indoors to spend some time with family. For the fox however, his entire day had already been ordained. "Heh heh, little old Shell. Immature old Shell. Stupid, useless, idiotic Shell..." he thought out aloud, eyes still drooping as his arms swung lifelessly on his side. It was tiring, and rather annoying, to get up this early just because Shell told him to, but it was also an interesting experience; who knew the flowers popping out from the cracks of the pavement were so pretty? Who would've thought that the park would be so tranquil without those pesky kids running about? Well, now that he's out here, he finally knew. Even though he was enjoying his time outdoors he still resented the wolf for what he did, so to make that clear he decided to walk as though the world revolved around him, after all, as far as he is concerned, it does.

Turning into the cafe just a few streets away from their apartment, Nick joined the heavily dreaded long queue. Glancing at his watch, all he could do is smirk. "That's what you get buddy," he words were directed to the one who dragged him into such a scenario: Shell.

"Are you in the queue sir?" an elderly hippo approached the fox as he stepped in through the door.

"Oh, after you!" the fox gestured as he went behind the hippo. A very long moment passed before he finally placed his order and got his drink. It was very out of character for him to do so, but he decided to get a cup of hot cocoa instead of the usual cup of joe. Walking out from the cafe, he began his casual stroll to the bus stop.

"Still early," he noted after missing a passing bus, "an hour late isn't that bad..." he sipped on his cocoa and searched for an empty seat. "After all, Shell can wait." He placed the cup on the arm rest and waited.

...

...

"..." his foot tapped on the tile of the floor as he watched the canine calmly walk to his direction, his silence speaking more than words can say.

"What!?" Nick shrugged, "the bus was late!"

"Right, and the other four busses that had passed here?"

"... they were late too?"

"Come on! I've been waiting since eight in the morning!" he grabbed Nick's paw and looked at his watch, "three hours! THREE HOURS!"

"Okay maybe I might have slept on the bus stop... and I may have overslept in the bus and miss the station..." he shrugged again, "after all, foxes are noctur-"

"Blah blah blah, foxes are nocturnal blah blah and all that nonsense!" Shell's blood was boiling with rage, "three hours Nick. THREE HOURS! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE COULD'VE DONE IN THREE WHOLE HOURS!?"

"Woah, chill buddy. I'll make it up to ya somehow."

"WHAT!? NOW YOU'RE BRIBING ME!? IT'LL NEVER WORK!"

"How about a doughnut?"

"I'LL NEVER GIVE IN TO YOUR PATHETIC BRIBE-"

"Coffee flavoured."

"NEVER WILL I-"

"Cream cheese filling."

"NEVE-"

"Sprinkles on the top."

"..." "..." "..."

"That's what I thought. C'mon, let's get going," he pointed at the door and walked right through while Shell lagged behind, cursing under his breath at his weakness.

Once they got through the door, they were met with ZPD's smiliest, and most corpulent, cheetah who was currently waving his thick, flabby arms. After exchanging the favour with nods and waves of acknowledgement, the canines disappeared into the elevator nearby.

"We can do this! We're gonna train hard, and we're gonna win!" Shell threw his paw in the air with a smirk, much to Nick's disapproval.

"Yeah, we might have a chance. A small chance," he crossed his arms, "assuming both of us go all out on her right after she finishes her ten mile sprint. Or unless she gets intoxicated."

"Then intoxicate her we shall!"

"Have you no dignity?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Lost it when I made your acquaintance."

"...touche."

The elevator dinged as the doors slid open, both mammals stepped out of the confined room and made their way to the lockers.

"So, what's the plan?" the wolf, with his shirt removed and beige-furred belly revealed, asked as he tossed several of his belongings into the empty locker.

"I thought you got that settled out?" Nick placed his bag inside and slammed his locker shut.

"Freestyle it is then!" Shell, now with brand new gym wear on, concluded.

"You're hopeless..."

"And you still owe me a doughnut," he pointed a finger gun at the fox. "C'mon, there is much to do!" the duo left the locker room and headed straight to the gym.

...

...

"I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!"

"Dude, we just got here," Nick said as he took a few more steps towards the entrance. The gym was in-built in the ZPD and served as an area for the officers to exercise and train, usually the fox would never associate himself with this place, but since Shell asked, and because deep down he really wanted to beat Judy in this battle, he agreed to coming to this place. "We literally walked for half a minute."

"I want a break."

"Unbelievable..." the fox reached out his paw and grabbed on to Shell's ear, the wolf screeched in pain as he dragged him, by his ear, into the entrance of the gym. "I'm already here and I'm not gonna waste the effort I made to get here..." he grumbled to himself as he placed the wolf onto aa bench, "do you want to beat the rabbit or not?" his paw landed on Shell's thighs as he stared down the wolf.

Shell gulped, "um... yeah I guess..." he replied, slightly speechless at the awkward scenario he has found himself in.

"Do. You. Want. To. Win?" Nick asked again, this time fully emphasising each word. He was conscious of how the adrenaline was beginning to seep into his system, and how he started feeling the excitement pound against his chest as a result, so he allowed it to play its role in boosting up his own motivation. "Do you?" he asked again, leaning ever so slightly closer to the wolf.

"Yes, I do."

"Say it like you mean it!" he said, shifting even closer towards his companion.

"Yes! Of course I wanna win!"

"Say it like you deserve it!" his muzzle pressed against Shell's.

"Yes! We will win!"

"..." the fox's paw cupped the wolf's cheeks as he pressed his face even more into Shell's and whispered, "say it like you've already won!"

"YES! YES YES! YEEEAHHHHHH!"

 _Can't believe that worked..._ Nick thought to himself as he reached for a metal bar, _oh gosh, now I'm hyped!_ He grabbed the bar and began swinging it around himself, "THAT'S THE SPIRIT!"

"WOOOOOOOO!" both screamed as onlookers dipped their gaze embarrassingly.

"LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSSINESS! TO DEFEAT... THE BUN!" **(A/N: I literally wrote this chapter for this sentence.)** He masterfully maneuvered the pole around himself and dropped it into Shell's paw. "GO! GIMME TWENTY!" The wolf grabbed the pole and began loading weights onto it, he started with the heavier loads then the lighter ones, adding a total of fifty kilograms to the sturdy bar; you either go big, or go home.

Their enthusiasm lasted, surprisingly, for a couple of hours before the fatigue became unbearable, and considering their size and the massive forces they had exerted on themselves, even Bogo would be impressed. Such devotion and commitment did come with a price though, as they left the gym crawling across the floor.

"Kill me..." the wolf whimpered as he took another step forward and his legs began to cramp.

"At least it's over..." Nick said through pants.

"Right... 'Over' heh heh..." he performed air quotes as he chuckled unamusingly, "we're gonna have to do this every other day if we really want to beat the bun," Shell said as he massaged his thighs, moaning and groaning at how sore they were.

"No. Nooooo."

"Yes."

"You're kidding."

"Afraid not; see you on Tuesday." The wolf picked himself up on his wobbling legs and made his way towards the exit, it was just a few metres away from where he was, but it appeared to be the longest metre he had ever walked.

"No. Noooooo way!" the fox, still in denial, said, but all he could do was get back up on his feet and carry on with his journey back home. _I hope Judy's back..._ he thought to himself as he reached the door, _boy do I need a massage..._ he pushed it open and left.

It seemed like only ten minutes had passed before he reached his home, but in actuality it's been two hours; half an hour of dragging his feet to the bus stop, an hour worth of bus riding, and another half hour of walking back to the apartment. It was a very difficult and painful trip, and to think that he'll have to do it all over again was just too overwhelming for the worn-out fox.

Upon reaching his door, Nick twisted the lock and swung the door open, tossed his belongings at a corner, and sealed the door shut. Light wasn't much of a necessity since the fox was equipped with night vision, so he passed on switching the lights on and headed straight to the couch, throwing himself onto it like a lifeless ragdoll.

"Sleeeeep…" he whined as his eyes flickered, the exhaustion lulling him close to the edge of unconsciousness, "what time is it?" he asked to no one in particular and after glancing at a clock, he forced himself up to his feet; it was time for dinner.

"Didn't think it'll be that late…" he dragged himself to the kitchen and scanned the area thoroughly in search for a quick meal. "A sandwich will be nice," he concluded. "Bread…lettuce…tomatoes…" he made a list as he lazily grabbed each ingredient from the refrigerator, "butter... of bu-" his drooping eyelids shot up wide as he stared into the dark cabinet. "Heh heh, that bunny," he chuckled before taking out the half-opened pack of bugs, "speaking of which…" he dropped all the foodstuff on the counter and fished out his phone; nothing, not even a message from the doe. "She probably had dinner already," he said as he slid his phone back into his pocket, "then again, maybe she hasn't…" he tapped his chin, deeply conflicted as his laziness battled against his compassion. Of course, we already know which side won.

After proving himself to be a mature and competent adult, Nick kept away his used plates, set the soup in the centre of the dining table, and headed straight back for the sofa. "Sleeeeep…" he groaned again, this time with more relief knowing that the rest he was going to have was well deserved.

…

…

"Well you're home early," the snarky voice of the fox reached the doe's sensitive ears, she locked the door behind her and headed towards its source. "What have you been up to?"

"Having more fun than you," she retorted.

"That's true," he exhaled into the pillow, "still you could've at least called to say you will be late; the carrot soup I made is all mushy now." He glanced at the bunny as she took a look at food he had prepared, a burst of joy and pleasure surged through him as he caught the ever so slight smile that tugged against her muzzle.

"It's ok, I'll still have it though! Just gonna take my own sweet time to wash up."

"Sure, go ahea-"

"After all, that's what foxes do am I right?" He threw the pillow off his face and jumped up from his lying position.

"Alright Carrots, what did I do now?" he asked, confusion evident on his face as he tried to read Judy's.

"Oh no, nothing at all." He forced a smile and went up the stairs, Nick watched her all the way until she disappeared out of his sight.

"What was that about?" he asked himself, paws reaching for his phone and playing with it as a distraction from the uneasy situation he found himself in. _Was it something I said?_ the fox, now fully awake, got up on his feet and went to the pot of soup, _did I do something wrong?_ he opened the lid and examined the bowl, _nope, no bugs, unlike the last time…_ he closed the lid, _then why would she act this way?_ He thought to himself, but came up with nothing, so he decided to let this one slide.

…

…

A whole week passed in a blink of an eye and throughout these seven days the canines trained the hardest they could. Along the way weight trainings were dropped off and combat practices became more prevalent. Progression was evident as each day became more bearable than the last, and after all that they had done, it was finally time to put their hard work to the test; it was time they faced the infamous Judy Hopps.

"Got your will written?"

"When there's a will, there's a way!"

"...what?" confusion was all he felt, with a tad bit hint of fear, and who wouldn't be if they knew they had to face the unstoppable force that is Judy Hopps. "See you on the other side kiddo," he said with a low grunt, his will to live thinning as he stepped into the ring. He only took two steps forward when suddenly a bolt of grey flashed before his eyes. He screamed.

"Whoa! Relax Nick! Why haven't even started!" the doe said tauntingly with a solid, smug grin.

"C'mon Shell, let's just get through with this..." the fox sighed as though it was his last breath, but the wolf seemed unfazed by the fact that their opponent can single-handedly take down creatures ten times her size.

"Coming!" he said as he bit down on his muzzle guard and crawled under the rope and into the battlefield.

"ROUND ONE!" * _ding ding_ * McHorn, overseer of the fight, pounded his horn on the gong and before they could even blink, the battle had begun.

"NICK!" Shell yelled as the doe landed a punch to the fox's gut, he attempted to retaliate, but before his paw could reach its target the bunny had already escaped. Nick tried to get back on his feet, but a strong kick from the back caused him to crash back down to the ground. "NICK!" He laid there inanimately, his deep breaths and subtle whimpering the only evidence that he was still alive.

Ehehehe..." the excitement fuelled the rabbit as she stood beside her victim, she then turned around to face the wolf. "You're next..." her voice was eerie, but before Shell could respond, the rabbit was already dashing at her target.

"NICK WHAT DO I DO WHAT DO I DO AAAA!" the wolf shrieked as he huddled himself at a corner. The flash of grey swooped quickly towards him, but before it could do any harm a bolt of orange intercepted it, causing both hues to crash onto the ground.

The crowd cheered as the hectic mess cleared up, the hooting grew even louder as they beheld the scene before them: the fox, using his entire body, pinning the bunny down on the ground. _*Ding* *ding*_ the gongs blared.

"Heh heh, nice try Carrots," the fox smirked, "but I must say, it's been awhile since I was in this position..." he flashed an alluring grin causing her cheeks blush in a deep red, "...and I'm enjoying every moment of it.

"Um, you can get off now..." she squeaked, the lump in her throat preventing speech.

"I'd like to savour this moment a but longer... the moment when I FINALLY BEAT JUDY HOPPS!" Nick threw his arms up in a celebratory cry. "WOOOO WE DID IT SHELL!" the fox got up on his feet and turned to his partner, who was still curled up in a corner, muzzle tucked into himself. "We did it buddy! C'mon gimme five!" he reached out a paw to the canine, but all he got in return was far from a friendly high five; the wolf growled.

Within seconds Shell uncoiled himself and pounced at the fox, fangs bared and hackled raised in an offensive attack.

"NICK!" the doe leaped and kicked the wolf down, throwing him off course from his intended target.

"Oh, round two." * _ding* *ding*_ McHorn pounded on the bell, attracting the attention of the wolf. His head snapped at the rhino as he began running towards him, he ran on all fours as how a primal wolf would, a trial of scratch marks followed behind him as he did so. The fox intervened before he could reach the edge of the ring, with a light shove he pushed he wolf to fall on his flank. "Oh, they've switched partners," McHorn muttered, oblivious to the danger that they were in.

Panting, Nick whipped out a set of hand cuffs and locked Shell's front paws together, "buddy! Hey wolf!" he slapped the wolf's cheek, but that only added to his anger as the wolf snapped back with a snarl.

"Nick what's going on?" she stood behind Shell with her paws up defensively, her ears flickered wildly in anticipation of his next move.

"Oh, he's got issues. No biggy." The fox swooped at Shell's hind paws and secured it with another pair of cuffs. "That'll hold him till he calms down," he fox pushed himself up and brushed his shoulder, "it's happened a few times before."

"That's cheating by the way," McHorn grunted disapprovingly, Nick just waved him off.

"Should I get some sedatives?"

"Nah it's okay, he'll settle down eventually," the fox patted the wolf's head, flinching as he snapped back. " Any minute now..." he stroked Shell at his belly, earning several dirty looks from the crowd as well as a soft purr from the wolf, "there you go. See? No biggy," he echoed on his own words as he began to scratch the tuff of fur just beneath Shell's neck. The pleasurable sensation soon met a peak as the panting wolf melted onto the floor, he then rubbed his eye as he got up from the ground.

"Eh," he blurted out, tongue protruding as the dizzy sensation subsided.

"Long story bud, one you probably already know," Nick threw himself beside the wolf and patted his friend's back, "we best get you a psychiatrist."

"I am a psychiatrist."

"Then you're a horrible one," Nick muttered under his breath, "anyhow, we won!"

"...really?" his eyes grew as he turned to look at the fox, they grew bigger still when the doe nodded in acknowledgement. "That's great- WHY AM I IN CUFFS!?" he rattled the metal bound to his wrists, disappointment was evident on his face as he couldn't pump his fist in the air.

"Right..." the fox quickly removed the chains and slipped them in his pocket.

"I take it that it's over?" the clueless rhino said.

"Yes, yes it is." They picked themselves up and left for home.

...

...

"You were going easy on us, weren't you?" the sceptical fox persistently asked the doe as they made their way to the doorstep.

"I'm serious! You guys got me good!" Judy replied, but her tone seemed forced and insincere, stirring the doubt in the fox's mind. Nick's paw twisted the door open as it unlocked with a soft *click*, both mammals stepped into the dimly lit room and shut the door behind them.

"You're 'serious' huh?" the fox performed air quotes as he dropped their bags on the floor.

"Just as serious as now when I say that I enjoyed every moment of it as well," the doe said as she brushed her hind paws on a rug, "that little position we shared." Her sly grin barely wavered as she turned back to look at the fox.

"You mean you like watching me beat you?"

"No you dummy!" the bunny hopped towards the fox, grabbed him by his neck, swung herself around the canine and threw both her and the fox onto the sofa with the fox landing directly above her. "This position," she said, innocence pouring from her round pupils.

"Heh heh, you're really pushing it rabbit..." the fox brushed his snout against her cheek as she giggled. "C'mon fluff, we got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." He pushed himself up, scooped the doe into his arms, and slowly waddled towards their room. Each step up seemed heavier than the last as fatigue started to grab a hold of him, but he pushed on until he made it all the way up the stairs, and he'll continue to push on if it means that he could be deemed worthy of being called hers.

It is without a doubt, Nick, that she's made a man out of you.


	36. Savages

**#36 Savages - Pocahontas**

"We can't afford any mistakes... we'll do this quick, and we'll do it right, got it?" Vex, leaning herself against the table, said to her subordinates.

"And why exactly are we doing this again?" McCoy asked, sinking into his chair and crossing his arms; he wasn't as amused as his peers were on the plan they had made. "Isn't this a little too…dramatic?"

"I dunno, I like it," Wolfgang commented, shrugging casually as he tugged a blueprint towards himself, "so all I have to do is make this?" he pointed at the sheet which had on it an intricate design of a collar like device.

"Yes Wolfgang, that will be all," the vixen took her seat and soon turned to the maned wolf, who at the moment appears to be deep in thought. "Is there something you'd like to add, Chris?"

His paw remained on his chin as he took a deep breath, then he sighed as he fumbled for his notes that were placed before him. "I'm not too sure about this…" he flipped through his notes, eyes darting every number scribbled on it, "we're going to need quite a bit of funding to pull off a stunt like this one, especially since our materials can't be obtained legally, and what more in such an abundance."

"Fair point, but that's why-"

"That's why I'm here, isn't that right?" the doors flung open as a shadow loomed over the entrance, its steps light and seemingly weightless as it silently hovered into the room. Black hues shone brightly from his eyes as he stepped towards an empty seat, his dark formal attire, despite the dim lighting, caught the attention of those seated around the table, but what really stood out was the golden tie pin and watch that he had dressed himself with. "Forgive me for being late. Traffic."

"No biggy, we were just starting anyway!" Lyn, the black African dog, chirped.

"Actually, we're almost done," the fox glared at her female friend.

"Does no one think this is too much!?" the coyote, still not getting the attention and support he needs, resorted to shaking the black eared dog by the collar. A light shove was enough to push him off, the dog then brushed the dust of his shirt and took a seat.

"I know it's quite a lot to ask Ore, but-"

"You underestimate me," he shunned the vixen off, "you name it, and I'll get it," he adjusted his watch and tipped his black hat, a gesture of pride and confidence. "What have we got?"

"Glad you asked. This is the plan…" Vex got up, snatched the blueprints from Wolfgang and the notes from Chris, and laid all the pieces of paper on the table. "It's a contraption I had Jaja design."

"Interesting… How much are we looking at?" the canines retracted, visibly uneased by the thought of the budget.

"Um… actually… you see…"

"Speak up!" he exclaimed at Jaja, mildly irked at her lack of confidence.

"Yes, um sir…" she cleared her throat and tried again, "it'll take half a million dollars at the least," she said, eyes wavering as she sought a response from the dog.

"…and why's that?" he questioned, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned into the chair. The number wasn't a big one, at least not to him, but it still seemed rather expensive for such a simple device.

"Um, well, you see-"

"What did I say about speaking up!?" he barked; they knew he meant business.

"Right, well, it's not the device that costs so much, the thing's worth nothing," Jaja stepped away from the table to retrieve yet another sketch, this one with more details than the previous one, "it's the process of obtaining the chemicals we need," she finished as she placed it on the table. Ore took a peek at the drawings, then he sat back down.

"Isn't this a little too… how do I say this, overused? Cliché? Predictable?"

"Exactly!" McCoy, the opportunist, cried out.

"Yes it may sound like that, but it'll be more potent! It'll be inserted directly into the bloodstream, there'll be nothing to stop it from taking its effect!" Jaja reassured him, "Chris and I have made the calculations, it's fool proof!" her arms swung up in excitement.

"Fool proof?" he stood up and tucked his paw into his coat. "So be it," he tossed a card on the table and walked away, the other canines froze, not knowing how to react to his overwhelming charisma. "But mark my words, if this investment becomes a total flop," he turned back to glare at the crowd, "I'll have your heads." He then walked off into the darkness.

Feelings of admiration slowly turned to dread, the only one that seemed unaffected was the cold heart fox, Vex. "That settle it," she said, collecting the documents from the table and slotting them back into the pocket of her sling bag. "Get the card, we've got work to do." She stood up and walked towards the door, but the other canines remained glued to their seats. She looked back to their pathetic expressions and let out a sigh. _They'll catch up…eventually…_ she walked out from the room.

…

…

Morning light poured through the blinds as it filled the once darkened room, not a sign of life was present within the four walls, this most likely because there was in fact no one in the room, as both mammals have left for the precinct even before the break of dawn.

"I think we've forgotten something."

"For the last time Nick, we've gotten everything we need!" the doe, visibly annoyed, tugged on her ears as she sternly muttered to the fox.

"That's right! Forgot my lucky tie!" he smirked at the fuming bunny.

"I'm not going back just to get your stupid tie!" she yelled, her grumpy attitude a side effect of waking up four in the morning to go to work early just to come all the way back home because Nick had left their house keys stuck to the doorknob, after which they drove for another ten minutes before the fox admitted that he may have left the stove on, which upon inspection, he didn't. "Joke once more and I'll rip your tail off!"

"Wow, scary," he said sarcastically, grinning from ear to ear, infuriating the bunny further.

"Fine, no more snuggles, no more belly rubs, and no more back and ear scratches for a week." His grin dropped. "No buts!" she swatted the whining fox's paw. Their banter lasted a little longer before the door swung open, they straightened up as the chief stepped into his seat across the two smaller mammals.

Bogo leaned his heavy arms against the table, which screeched at his weight. "…" he sighed, "are you both ready?"

"Absolutely sir!" Judy jolted up with a salute, her enthusiasm not one bit amusing to the buffalo.

"This is serious Hopps, you could get yourself killed…" he paused, gaze shifting to the animal beside her, "you could get him killed." The vulpine gulped.

"We'll be fine sir," the fox assured, "well we _have_ gone through the necessary training, it'll be a breeze!"

"I wouldn't call a week's worth of practise sessions as 'training'," the buffalo performed air quotes as he deadpanned, "and I definitely wouldn't consider this a 'breeze'," he leaned closer towards the vulpine, "you'd better watch that stupid smug of yours," he warned, glaring at the overconfident fox. Nick swallowed hard as he stiffened under Bogo's glare, his prideful demeanour melted away under his superior's gaze. "Leading a team's not a walk in the park," he said to both mammals as his facial features softened, "you'll have to make sure that all goes according to plan, and if it doesn't..." he brought his arms to the table and leaned on them, "you'd better have a backup plan... or you'd be held accountable," his words were soft, yet it pierced right into their souls. "Clear?"

"Yes sir," they muttered simultaneously.

"I'm letting you do this because I believe that both of you are capable officers. Don't make me think twice about that," he finished and leaned back onto his chair, "go." Both animals leapt off their seats and left the office.

"You think he likes us?"

"Shut it," she quipped, walking ahead of Nick into the cafeteria _._

...

...

"Everyone in position?" the fox said into the walkie talkie before letting it continue with its monotonous static.

"Ready," a muffled voice came from the device, "all set," another said. With a determined nod, the fox leaped off the chair to lean against a set of screens, each connected to cameras scattered across the area; they had eyes on every corner of the area.

"Remember all the training we've done, you're going to need all of it…"

"How many are we expecting?" a voice asked, but the fox ignored it entirely. "Fox?" it came again, but the fox shushed them immediately.

"Any minute now…" the fox said into the walkie talkie and glanced through the screen once more. For a moment, everything was still… Then it came.

"Target's entering the area," the vixen said, olive hues locked on a speck of orange darting through the screen. "Initiate plan A," she spoke into the device in her hand, "in three…two…"

"One."

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE:**

Oh my gosh! It's been months!

So sorry about that, apparently was banned in the country I was in as of October 2017, but now that I'm away for studies, I finally can upload again :D

Sorry that it took me that long, and sorry if this story seemed a off tangent with the song assigned to it, it's more of a filler episode honestly, plus the extended period of time resulted in my writing becoming a little more rigid... I'll try harder next time, but boy am I happy that I can access this site again!


	37. Be Our Guest

**#37 Be Our Guest – Beauty and the Beast**

 _*bzzz* *bzzzz* *bzzzzz*_

The phone buzzed from the table beside the bed. Nick, still under the blanket, reached out for the buzzing device and tapped on it's illuminated screen. "…hello?" _Who the heck calls so late in the nig_ -

"Help! Pl- Please she's gonna ki- kill me you have to- no no please don't NOO-" the phone cut off just after that. The fox, now awake and on edge, panicked as he quickly glanced at the phone just to see that the call had disconnected. A message soon came in, in it contained an address.

"Judy…JUDY!" he slammed his paw on the comatose rabbit beside him, she jumped at his sudden yelling.

"It's still too early Nick, go back to sleep."

"Judy, they're going to kill Vivi." The doe shot up as she processed what her partner just said.

"…what?"

"She called earlier, we need to get to her, we need to go now-"

"Don't you think we should tell Bogo? This can potentially ruin tomorrow's task!"

"Judy, someone is going to DIE,' he deadpanned, "the longer we wait, the lesser the odds of her surviving this, Judy we need to go right n-"

"NICK!" she grabbed the frantic fox by the shoulders and tugged him towards her, "Nick, this is exactly what they wanted: you panicking and running off alone to save that Vixen."

"That's why I'm not going alone," he looked straight into Judy's eyes, but unfortunately, it lacked the glow that it usually emitted. "Judy…" She let the fox go as he took a step back in disbelief. "No…"

"Nick, we can't do this by ourselves, we need reinforcements," she reasoned, but that didn't stop the fox from pacing back towards the door. "Nick, don't you remember what happened the last time!? Don't you remember how you almost DIED!?" she shouted at the fox. He grunted.

"The last time…" the painful memory creeped through his mind, _"you were going to kill the bunny anyways… I get to get even…"_ The vixen's sinister voice whispered as the memories became clearer. He sighed as he slouched in defeat. "All the more I need to be alone," he twisted the knob and made a dash for the car.

"NICK!" she ran out to stop him but her legs could only take her that far. "C'mon, c'mon!" she held her phone against her ear as she made a call to the ZPD, "what's taking so long!?" she yelled in frustration as the silhouette of the car vanished into the distance.

…

…

"C'mon…C'mon… ANSWER!" Nick screamed into his phone, but it failed to make it through to the vixen's number. He took a sharp turn to the left and sped into the highway, fortunately there weren't many cars on the road this late into the night to obstruct him from speeding. He took a look at his phone again, this time to check the address that he was given, _that's in the Meadowlands,_ he thought, and sighed at how far it was from where he is.

A red light stopped him as he brought the car to a halt. "C'mon…" he tapped lightly on the gas pedal, then drove through the red light; he had no time to lose. He came to yet another red light, but unlike the previous junction, a few cars actually drove by this time, so he had no choice but to stop, again. "Damn it!" he scolded, but there was nothing he could do.

His gaze slowly shifted to his phone again, he stared at its blank screen and the realisation that he was alone hit him harder than he expected. He picked up the device and switched it on. _Judy…_ he swiped pass her number as he remembers the reason he left her out of this, _Shell?_ He tapped on his number and waited for it to go through, but to no avail, _useless wolf…_ Finally, he conceded and dialled Bogo. "Sir, I'm going in, I'll send the address soon." He said into the speaker; the voicemail was his only hope of not having to face this alone. The lights soon turned green as he tossed his phone to the chair beside him and continued his race to the vixen in distress. The rest of the journey was a smooth one, but the fox still felt helpless, two words rang through his mind as he dug his claws into the steering wheel: too late.

…

…

"It's been half an hour sir, he hasn't answered my calls or my texts! Heck I don't even know where he is!" the doe, visibly annoyed, ranted to the buffalo as he stepped from her side ad made his way to Fangmeyer, one of the many wolf officers in the precinct. He whispered into the wolf's ear before nodding and letting him take off through the exit.

"Like I said Hopps, wait here while we locate Wilde."

"Sir, with all due respect, my partner's life is at risk. I need to be there with him," she retorted.

"Hopps, do as I say and wait here," he said sternly, a finger pointing at the office's ground.

"Nick needs me!"

"HE NEEDS YOU TO BE AWAY FROM THOSE CRIMINALS!" the chief screamed at the top of his lungs, but that failed to waver the bunny.

"…he told you something didn't he? He kept something from me…"

The chief exhaled as he calmed down, "he's doing it for you Hopps, and we're sending tropes to his location. He'll be fine as long as you stay put!" he pointed at her again, emphasising his words so that it sinks in.

"Fine," she scoffed, agitated that she can't be of any help. As soon as the cape buffalo left the office, the bunny hopped off her seat and reached for the file that was on the chief's desk. She flipped through it, and much to her relief, it was the case file for Vivi and the gang. _Convenient…_ she thought with a smug, but that soon faded as she took note of the sticky note that dropped out from the file: on it an address leading to the Meadowlands. _That's my best bet…_ she snapped a photo of the information and left for her cruiser, the one she and Nick shares, _I saw it in his eyes…_ she stepped into the car and twisted the keys, _the fear, the paranoia, the pain…_ and just like that she sped into the streets, _I have to make sure he's okay…_

…

…

"Hello." A bar swooped over Nick's head as he barely dodges it, his training soon kicked in as he brushed his opponent's feet off the ground, effectively making him fall and drop the weapon. "Ouch…" the coyote whimpered as the red fox picked up the baton.

"That's kind of rude, I just got here," Nick said nonchalantly, his suave tone masking his trembling.

"We've only started," the coyote said before another canine came running from the shadows. The fox managed to disarm her as well, and soon after another came, then another, and before long he was up against five other canines.

"Where… where's Vivi?" he said between breaths, the canines seemed a little confused, but a voice came from behind them, grabbing their attention before they could think further.

"She's dead," it said, its tone cold and heartless.

"I'm sorry, what?" Jaja, the tanuki who was part of the team who attacked Nick, said in confusion.

"Details are not important," the grey fox placed a mask over her muzzle before reaching for a spray can on her belt and spraying its contents at the crowd. Nick held his breath as the other canines collapsed to the ground. He clasped his paws against his muzzle in an attempt to prevent himself from inhaling the gas, but he was already beginning to feel drowsy. "Good that you're not knocked out yet," she said as she stepped closer to the fox, "means you'll be more than ready for what comes next…" his vision blurred as he gave in to the gas.

…

…

"WHAT!?" a yell came from the burly chief, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'NOT HERE'!?" he yelled at his officers. They searched the entire area, but all they could find were five bodies lying on the ground, fortunately they still had a heartbeat and were sent to the hospital immediately after they were found. "Search again, we're not leaving until we have any other info on Wilde's whereabouts, and for goodness sake you are wolves! Aren't you supposed to be good trackers!?" he dismissed them with a glare as they scurried back to hunt for clues. "That idiot, wasting my time with wrong addresses…" he got his phone and dialled the fox, but there was no answer.

From a distance away, a silhouette of a rabbit remained hidden in the bushes. _Where are you…_ she thought, then her phone buzzed in her pocket. She reached in and took a look. Her worst fears have come true: they've contacted her. _They've got him, Bogo needs to know…_ but she stopped herself before she could step out into the light, _they'd kill him if they knew we had backup…_ she hesitated, then remembered that they had tried it once before, and they'll almost certainly do it again. _Rats!_ She got the paper from her pocket and scribbled a note on it: the same puzzle that they offered her on Nick's location and an explicit comment to not intervene until she said they could through the walkie talkies. After that she intentionally made a loud rustling sound before hopping out of the bush and making a dash to her vehicle, all the while making sure that at least one officer had caught her doing so; someone was probably watching her, so walking up to Bogo would have landed with Nick being dead.

There wasn't much time left, so she drove off without giving much thought about the puzzle. She looked at the message once again and gave it a thought…

 _Come follow me, I've got a score to settle,_

 _Amongst mammals of plastic and metal._

 _._

 _Where they display past mysteries,_

 _Where you'll go down in history._

 _._

 _Where you thought it all would end,_

 _Where for me it only began…_

She had a rough idea of where the place was, and that added to the dread she felt, she knew what was coming for her, she knew what was going to happen.

 _Once again, you'll relive your past,_

 _But this time, a little more real than the last…_

…

…

"Nick!" she exclaimed softly, the scene was all too familiar, with him tied to a chair under a spotlight, but something was different… he had something around his neck.

Lifeless emerald looked into her purple hues.

"Run."

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

AAAAA sorry for a filler like thingy again, I just started uni and it's kinda taking a toll on me :s

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm giving it my all now since I've gained access to this website again! Hope you have a great week! :D


	38. I'm Still Here

**#38 I'm Still Here - Treasure Planet**

"Nick!" she softly exclaimed, relieved that he was still alive, but dreading what was about to unfold, it was only a matter of time…

He tilted his head to look at her, but his vision was still blurry, all he could make out was a fuzzy image of grey superimposed over the dark background. "Run." He said with whatever strength he had left, this time she listened and began stepping back.

"Going so soon?" a familiar voice came from behind her, a grey fox emerged from the corner of the room as she smashed a button beside the door, that triggered a chain reaction that caused all the doors to slam shut, successfully locking them within the facility.

"Stand down," the rabbit pointed a gun at the vixen.

"I don't think so," she said calmly, "in twenty minutes a toxin will be released into his bloodstream through that collar of his…" she gestured at the fox, Judy's gaze followed; mistake one. The vixen knocked the gun off Judy's paw and sent her flying towards the fox with a swift kick.

"Judy!"

Vex picked up the gun and slipped it into a hoister stacked to her belt. "Well done, well done." She paced around the two as Judy acted as a barrier between the foxes. "Not the first mistake you've made 'officer Hopps', not the first lie you bought," she said spitefully, "I'm starting to doubt your skills rabbit," she scoffed, "and your intelligence."

"What do you want Vexen?"

"What do I want? I think you're missing the point here… what do you want Judith Hopps?" she took a step closer to the two, gesturing to the doe as she does so, "what do you want from us predators?"

"…I'm sorry?"

"And you should be." The doe threw a punch at the fox's muzzle, but her agile movements avoided the attack; mistake two. "Oh my, I thought a bunny would never go… what's the word?" she tapped a digit on her snout, "…savage." The doe instinctively stepped forward to confront Vex, but a sharp groaning brought her attention back to Nick. "You see, us 'savages' had a really good time when you became the celebrity of Zootopia, just a wonderful time!" The vulpine groaned further as Judy went on her knees to try to calm him down. "But it seems like you've fled to a little old farm while we held this massive thanksgiving party for you…" The fox's groaning soon turned into growls, each growl grew deeper and deeper as he shook violently on the chair. "I thought it' be nice to bring the party to you…" she got behind an enclosure and sealed the door shut. "Isn't this what you wanted, officer Judy Hopps?"

The doe got up and slowly paced away, her worst nightmare slowly materialising into reality as the feral fox brushed off the ropes and got down on all fours. She tried to quietly tip toe away, but it was already too late: the predator has caught the scent of its prey.

"Let the hunt begin…"

…

…

I was dizzy… I was tired… My paws burned as though I was walking on hot coal, and my skin felt like it was burning up in flames. I dug my claws deep into my flesh, hoping that that would help me cope with the pain, but that failed to do anything. I screamed and shouted and wailed, but it seemed that all of it was internalised; the noise may scare off my prey.

The confusion cleared a little before I finally realised what was happening; the excitement of lurking in the shadows, the delicious taste of blood from my injured skin, the faint and intriguing scent of a rabbit… I was going savage.

 _No…no…_ My thoughts stopped as my attention shifted to a pillar in the museum, my heightened senses helped me scope in on my prey, just as I wanted it to…

 _No..please no!_ I shook my head and whimpered, _anything but Judy!_

…Judy? That name… it… it doesn't seem to click anymore… I can't be distracted now, I need to catch my prey before it gets away. I circled the column, and it seems like it has escaped, but at least it left a trail…

I've started getting used to the burning sensation all over my body and the pounding ache in my head. It made me feel… alive. My paws hovered over the tiles beneath me, I was silent and deadly, just like how I should be, just like how I was meant to be…

Something's there, I can sense it, I can hear it… It sniffed, and it's running to my left, I can somewhat make out crying, and to that a soft whisper… _Nick…_ it said, but it meant nothing to me.

With all I had I ran towards it, and finally it appeared back into the light! I chased it on all fours, I was finally going to reach it! It was within my grasp…

Then it happened, the dizziness returned, the burning slowly faded… My limbs grew sore as the fatigue overwhelmed me. I slumped to the ground, too drained to pursue my game.

"What are you doing!?" I heard a cry, then suddenly I felt a wave of heat surge through my veins, it started from my neck and made its way through my entire being. It hurt, it stung, it made me feel like I was bleeding from all over my skin, it made me feel… amazing. I forced myself up and picked up where I left off.

I was hungry… I was focused… I was ready to kill…

I was ready for blood.

…

…

The doe forced herself into a tight gap between a wall and a piece of thick cardboard, she checked to see that there were routes that she could take to escape, but alas she found none. She tried to calm herself down, lest the fox catches on to her whereabouts, but that proved to be difficult as wave after wave of fear flooded her system; she was going to die. _There has to be something…_ she couldn't think well at this point, two hours of hiding from the fox has started taking a toll on the rabbit. She suddenly thought of her walkie talkie, but upon examination she discovered that it was no longer on her; she may have dropped it while running from the fox. _Nick…_ she sobbed in silence, the reality that her best friend was going to kill her crushed her spirit, if she could she would just give up right now, she felt that hopeless, but what kept her going was the need for justice. _Vex is still watching us…_ she recalled the vixen sitting inside a glass cubicle in the centre of the museum, from which she watched the game of cat and mouse take place.

"Officer Hopps! There's a wild animal just outside where you're hiding, you might want to do something about that," the vixen said sarcastically. The doe's heart started racing as she notices a shadow form on the wall. There was no where else to run, so she pushed the cardboard down allowing it to collapse to the ground. The crashing noises caused the fox to flinch, so the doe took this chance to make a run for it. While constantly looking back, she blindly ran forward into the dark areas of the museum; mistake three.

Soon after she found herself tumbling into a pit, one whose soil felt oddly familiar, yet seemed colder tonight; the same pit Nick and Judy were many years ago.

"How exciting…" the vixen stepped to the edge of the pit, she wasn't afraid of the feral fox attacking her, after all she's a fox herself. "Ready to relive past traumas? Because that's exactly what I had to do after you had your little press conference…" A soft growl grabbed Judy's attention towards yet another approaching fox, savage green slits met with dull amethyst for a brief second; it seemed that Nick was no more. It hopped down into the pit with graceful leaps as Judy scurried into some artificial tall grass. "There's no escaping rabbit!" Vex exclaimed from above, "your debt is due…" she clicked on a device that was in her paw, that resulted in the feral fox squealing in both pain and excitement; it was a device that triggered the collar on the fox's neck to introduce more of the serum into his blood. A satisfied grin hung from her muzzle as the fox's growl grew deeper in response to her clicking. "I've waited for far too long…" she smiled, "goodbye."

…

…

I can see it, it's caused a ruckus and is now running across the light. It's got a cut, I can smell it even from a distance away, and that fuelled my need to catch it. I ran towards the guiding scent of blood, but soon stopped halfway as I was greeted by another animal. It was a fox, and it seemed to be more powerful than I. I backed off from the potential threat, but it seemed to ignore my presence. It looked at me briefly before tapping on something in its paw, that caused me to feel the sudden burst of heat again; my heart started racing, my limbs started burning and shaking. I felt more energised. Seeing that she was no threat, I then continued to chase my prey.

It was dark, there's no doubting that, but my enhanced vision allowed me to see clearly. There was no visual sign of my target, but I could still smell it. Another wave of heat soon filled my system, it made my dizzy and sore, but my sense felt sharper after every burst, a worthwhile trade for a priceless meal.

Suddenly there was a bright light that came from the ground, I heard a sharp inhale as the vixen walked towards the light. " _How exciting_ …" it said, but what she said after made no sense to me, all I could make out were the occasional scoffs and sighs that she made. Curious, I took a look into the light as well. And there it was, my target, my game… my prey.

Instinctively I growled at the sight of my meal, _death…_ I thought before descending into the battlefield. I took a few steps closer to my prey, but just as it started running yet another wave of heat overwhelmed me, I collapsed and convulsed on the ground, this time the pain never ceased, it came continuously wave after wave. My aggression grew wild as my thoughts became unstable, all that clouded my mind was the need to taste… _*sniff*_ And there it was, I could smell it: the fresh, metallic taste of blood.

I walked, through the quivering of my limbs, towards the grass that filled the corner of the land. The smell grew stronger as I honed on to my target. There it was: defenceless, hopeless, and just a pounce away…

 _NO!_ I shouted, _no please, not her…_ I didn't know why, but it all this just felt… wrong.

"Oh Nick…" it said, causing a faint memory to jolt in my head. _…Judy?_ I took a whiff of the animal before me, it smelled… familiar…

But the smell of blood mixed into the air drove my senses crazy, I pounced forward, pinning the small mammal to the ground. I expected it to run, but it was… crying?

"Nick please…" it said. My clouded mind cleared a little as I gazed into those deep violet pools.

… _please, anything but Judy…_ I reminded myself, but it was too late; the last bit of my consciousness has slipped away.

…

…

"Nick please…" she cried through her tears. This wasn't supposed to happen, all they had to do was infiltrate the group and draw out Vexen, how did it come to this?

"C'mon fox we don't have all day!" Vex yelled from above Judy, she clicked the device until the button became damaged, then she tossed it aside and watched. To the doe's horror, the fox didn't waver like the last time it did, all that was displayed was a sadistic grin. It took its time, it enjoyed every moment, it fed off the rabbit's fear. Its fangs reached to the rabbit's neck and grazed over the layer of skin just beneath her fur, this caused a small cut where a small pool of blood began to form. Judy flinched at the pain but failed to react in any other way; she's already given in to her fate.

The fox brought its muzzle down to the pool of crimson and took a sniff.

It paused.

"What's the matter with you!? Kill her!" the vixen urged, but it still did nothing.

In that moment Judy slipped her paw into her pocket and retrieved a whistle, a canine whistle. She blew it as hard as she could all the while suppressing the pain throbbing from her neck. Both canines fell to the ground at the sharp noise emitted from the whistle, the feral fox slithered away into a bush while vixen collapsed onto the ground.

"STOP!" she shouted, her ears stinging with the piercing sound as she tried to get back up on her feet. Her contorted face displayed the agony that she was going through, which was a surprising effect considering that it was nothing more than a simple canine whistle.

Judy took the opportunity to climb out from the enclosure, eventually she stopped to catch her breath, the feral fox resurfaced from the bushes, but the vixen continued with her agonizing pain.

"No…NO!" she screamed as she struggled on the floor, then there was a silence… She got up from the ground and turned around. "Nick? Judy?" the wolf said before collapsing back to the ground.

…

…

The sharp noise jolted me back into a calmer state, I was able to think a little more rationally than when the chemicals raged through my bloodstream. The noise has stopped, I was still hungry, the hunt would go on, but something didn't seem right…

I noticed a wolf fall to the ground as I got up from the pit, it didn't seem like much of a danger, so I left it be. My gaze soon fixed itself on the thing that I've been chasing for hours: the grey rabbit. I inched closer as she frantically shuffled herself against a pillar, she tried to blow the whistle again, but I managed to slap it away from her paw before she had a chance. My muzzle went for her neck once again, this time with my fangs concealed. I took yet another sniff, it smelled all too familiar… it smelled like…

…me.

She flinched as I barked out aloud, and she seemed rather confused as I nuzzled into her neck. A wave of regret consumed me as I licked the wound on her neck that I had caused.

I knew it, something just didn't seem right.

I knew her…

I marked her…

.

.

.

… _I loved her._

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Hello! Didn't intend to update so quickly, but here I am haha. First time I'm experimenting on a first person POV, what did you think of it? Any comments?

As always, have a great week ahead! :D


	39. Look Through My Eyes

**#39 Look Through My Eyes - Brother Bear**

The moment felt unreal. Here she was, moments from death… Then it happened. The predator pounced on her, but it didn't attack, no, it did quite the opposite; it burrowed itself into her fur, tenderly treated her wounds. It, after all that had happened, displayed its affection for the bunny. Judy was somewhat relieved that it didn't end in bloodshed, but the hours of chasing and hunting remained a traumatic memory that would haunt her forever, a scar that would never heal…

The doe shook her head as she brushed her thoughts aside, blinking away the tears, she took note of the light that began pouring in through the blinds; dawn of a new day. She leaned back into the sofa carefully as to not place her injured neck in an awkward position; it wasn't a big injury, but the doctors advised her to take extra precaution against hurting it further. She sighed.

"Here we are again…" she whispered, looking at the sleeping fox. This wasn't the first time this happened, and she hopes with all her heart that it will be the last, but knowing Nick and how reckless he can be, that may not be the case. She snickered, though the situation wasn't humorous in any sense, she found comfort that despite Nick being under an immense influence over the feral drug, he still cared for her.

 _*thud thud*_

The soft sound grabbed the attention of the doe, it soon followed with a buffalo entering the room. He looked as tired as the smaller mammal, he exhaled a long sigh as he rubbed the temples of his head. "How is he?" he deadpanned with a low voice.

"Sir… they say he may not wake up for a while…" the doe replied, ears drooping over her shoulders.

"Drop the formality Hopps," the chief responded as he took a seat on a chair beside the sofa, "and how are you?"

"…" she couldn't say anything, she couldn't even look him in the eye.

"I know it can be hard Hopps-"

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" she lashed out, much to Bogo's surprise, but he didn't show it. He got up, sighed, and made his way to the door. And she was all alone again…

He promised to be by her side, but where is he now? On that bed, lifeless and inanimate, his heart beat the only thing proving that he's still here. But in such a state that he is now, can he even by considered here? _Idiot…_ she scoffed, _if he hadn't rushed off by himself I'd be able to help him! If he had just told me where he was headed I would've been able to get there faster! If he had just called for backup he wouldn't be how he is now! If he… if he…_ she paused. _If… if I wasn't there, Vex wouldn't have a need to do what she did… if I had stayed at the precinct he wouldn't have to go through last night… if I had told Bogo of the messages, I wouldn't have put us in danger… if I… if…_ She began to sob, the crushing realisation that she had faults in this overwhelmed her already fragile emotional state. _If… if only I listened…_

A few moments passed before her restlessness began to get the better of her again, the guilt and sorrow roared through her consciousness. _No…_ her spirits were crushed, there was nothing she could do. She got up, tossed her blanket aside, and made a dash out of the room. _I need to know…_ she thought, her pain fuelling the righteous anger within her.

The doe ran, by foot, back to the precinct. She was welcomed by a cheerful squeal from Clawhauser, but that was cut short as she slammed her paw on his desk. "Where is she?" Judy asked, her eyes shining with determination and fury.

"Wha- what? Who?" the cheetah, quite taken aback, asked for her to clarify.

"The vixen: Vex."

"Umm," he poked at his intercom and spoke into the mic, "umm, chief Bogo?" The bunny hopped off the ground and snatched the device from the feline before he could speak any further.

"Where is she?"

"Judy, the chief gave me clear instructions that I need to notify him when you return!" the portly cheetah replied while trying to grab the intercom from Judy's paws.

With her voice raised she demanded an answer, "where is she Clawhauser!?"

"Judy you can't interfere with the investigation! You're not in a very stable position to make right calls!" his paws worked swiftly to reach the device, but Judy's agility proved to be greater than his capabilities.

"The case belongs to us, the case is about us! I have every right to see this criminal!"

"Judy!"

"Hopps!" Came the stoic voice of Chief Bogo.

"Chief I… uh…"

"No need to explain yourself," he passed her a lanyard with a plastic card dangling from its end, "ten minutes, no more than that." Then he left the lobby and walked back upstairs. The doe looked down at the card and took note of the room number.

"I'm sorry Clawhauser." She dropped the intercom and started pacing towards the location provided on the card. The cheetah rushed out from his desk and picked up the intercom, "don't get too ahead of yourself Judy!" he shouted before she disappeared through a glass door, _and be safe Hopps…_

 _She's still got her eye on you._

…

…

Darkness, that was all there was in the room safe for a dim lamp that hung from the ceiling. She waited patiently for her visitor, _what's taking her so long…_ she thought scornfully. The wait came to an end as a soft beep came from the locking system.

"…I'm sorry who is this?" the doe asked from her place on the table as the guards sat the wolf down across her.

"This is who you wished to speak to ma'am," the giraffe notified her, "I'll take my leave then," she stepped out of the room and closed the glass pane behind her. Judy, still a little confused, turned to the wolf before her and crossed her arms.

"And who may you be?" she asked, examining the wolf as she leaned back on her chair; the wolf was rather small for its species, it had a dark brown coat with a brighter tone of fur on its belly, or at least it appeared to be so under the weak light. He didn't seem quite fond with the shackles that were bound to him, and he made that known with a disheartened grunt. He didn't say anything, all he did was reach into his pocket and retrieved a little trinket… a glossy red die.

"That's…"

"That's who I am…" he gestured to the token, "that's who we are…"

The bunny didn't quite understand, so she brushed aside his comment. "We as in the K-Niners huh, and in what way are you related to them?" she asked as she skimmed through the files, "and in what way are you connected to Vexen?" she looked up from the papers, catching the unfocused gaze of the canine before her. He didn't answer. She was not pleased. "I see that we're getting nowhere, I'll get the guards to-"

"To what Hopps? Chain us and beat us up!?" Suddenly the wolf lashed out at the doe, screaming at a high-pitched tone, the doe backed up against the wall, panting from the panic that began stirring in her heart. Fortunately for her, he was tied down to his chair, so all he could do was struggle in his seat. "You got away this time Hopps, but never again!" Never-" The doe was about to blow into her whistle, but the wolf suddenly calmed down, his hackles dropped as he stopped fighting against his chains. The menacing gaze soften into unfocused ones, and soon he slouched back onto the chair, exhaustion eminent in his olive hues.

"Do you get it now?" he asked her as she cautiously got back into her seat, "do you?" he asked again.

"No, not really…" she kept her gaze locked onto his.

"That's what we are," he gestured yet again to the die, "that's what we've been for as far as we could remember…" he turned his gaze back to the doe, "six faces in an entity..."

"Six beings as one."

…

…

"Long ago, back in the days where we had yet to exist, there was a child by the name of Cane... He lived a life that was as normal as it could be; having fun with friends at school, spending time with his lovely parents, enjoying his days as a young wolf… Then it happened. Tragedy struck.

His family was no more…"

"We don't know what happened to them, but what we do know is that it happened suddenly, and it happened quickly, and he was all alone after the incident. Well, not exactly alone, he was taken in by his nearest of kin, but they were evil, notorious individuals who abused him physically, mentally…

…sexually."

"One day, as they were getting ready the whips and the canes, as how they did every Monday evening, he snapped. With hackles raised and fangs bare he fought against them, it didn't bother him that he had ripped off one of his offender's thumb, for he did what he needed to survive, and that was the beginning of all things… the beginning of Jack."

"Jack?" the doe asked, interrupting the wolf's story.

"Yes, Jack," he answered, "he is the protector alter, the one who's aggression seems feral and violent, but the one who makes sure that we are safe."

"I'm sorry what? Alters? Protectors? I swear I don't have time for these games!"

"IT'S NOT A GAME!" the wolf slammed his fists on the desk, "it's not a game…" his panting declined as he calmed down. "Allow me to start again," he sat up straight and sighed, "Cane had it really tough, especially since he was so young. The trauma, the pain, the paranoia, the fear, it forced him into a dissociative state, that is to say, it forced him to create multiple personalities to cope with it," he paused for a second, then continued at the doe's nod, "these personalities that his mind forms, these are called alters, and I am one of those alters. We all take on a role, be it a good or a bad one."

"What's your role?" Judy asked, her pen jotting down some notes as they progressed.

"Right, where are my manners? My name is Gee, I am a gatekeeper," the wolf inhaled deeply and continued, "I am in charge of determining who can control this body, I keep a tab on all the other personalities, making sure that they do not overpower each other and potentially cause further harm."

"And how does this mechanism work?"

"…I don't know," he answered, "not all questions have answers to them."

"I see. Is there anything else I should know?"

"Plenty," he grunted, a tad bit annoyed at her constant interruption, "as demonstrated earlier, I am able to control who takes control of the body-"

"That was Vex," Judy exclaimed.

"Yes indeed," the wolf confirmed, "Cane couldn't take the tension from the abuse, so Vex formed to help him cope with it."

"She murdered animals."

"She did what she had to keep Cane alive!" he defended, "when you announced to Zootopia about the predisposition for predators to go savage it caused us to receive beatings and abuse from the mammals around us!" he shouted at the doe, "you jolted her back into existence… she came back out to protect us from those who harmed us, she came back out to protect us from you!" he concluded, brows furrowed in anger. "There is no doubt that her actions were… unacceptable, but she did it all for us…" he sank back into his seat and sighed.

"I'm…I'm so sorry…" she apologised.

"…it's in the past, let it stay that way," he added. The atmosphere became tense as the stared at each other, both parties not willing to forgive the other, yet not wanting to hold on the grudges.

"Are there any other personalities besides you two?" Judy asked, hoping that the discussion would clear the tension.

"There's Jack, the protector, the one responsible for out violent lash outs and…" he looked at his cuffs, "our passionate hatred of hand cuffs." The doe, moved by his vulnerability, offered to release him from the bondage, but he refused. "It reminded us of the days where Cane would get cuffed as our relatives took turns to attack us…"

"…and this Cane?"

"…he's no more…" Gee let off a shaky sigh, "fragments of him are embedded to us alters, but he no longer exists as his own…" It was a rather heavy topic to talk about, but it was one that was necessary to better understand himself. With a light clap and a rub of his paws, he brushed off the uneasy feelings and went on, "so anyway, there's me, Vex, Jack, Cane…" he thought for a bit as he tried to recall those that resided in his head. "Oh, there's also Persy, but we had to get rid of her, she was self-abusive and caused way too much trouble for us."

Judy was a little shocked at how easily that rolled off his tongue. "Umm, 'get rid of'?"

"Yes, it's possible for alters to die, I too was on the brink of extinction, until that night. When you blew that whistle it jolted me back into taking control of the body. Why that is so, even I do not know…"

He didn't understand it, but unbeknownst to him it was Vex who allowed him to gain control, for the whistle was tied to an excruciatingly painful memory where her relatives would blow a sharp whistle before entering her room and sexually abusing her. Even she, a strong personality with an even stronger mind, couldn't bear the pain, so she gave up her reign over them all.

It was getting a little to complicated, so Judy decided to just move on. "Anyone else?" she asked, finalising her notes.

"There is one more: we needed someone to act as a disguise for us, one to mask our imperfections and the chaos that goes one in our head… we needed a shell."

The doe paused, "I'm sorry can you repeat that again?"

"Yes, you heard me right, we needed Shell." The world seemingly shattered as she took in the new piece of information, she dropped her pen and got off her chair, taking a step back for it to sink in.

"It… it was him that night…" she articulated.

"Yes, yes it was." She took in a sharp breath. "So there we have it, the many personalities that make up me, I may not be proud of what they have all done, but we don't have a choice but to accept it, and as a whole, pay for it…" he continued speaking, but the doe remained fixated on one thought, the thought he wished she never conceived.

"Gee…"

"As for the K-Niners, I honestly have no idea-"

"Gee."

"That you have to speak with Vex, want me to get her for ya-?"

"Gee!" the doe cut him midsentence; what he dreaded quickly unfolded. "May… may I speak with him."

"…" there was a silence, a very long moment of silence. Green hues met with her purple ones, and through the dim light above them, she sees a single tear fall from his cheek.

"I'm sorry officer…

…Shell is no more."

…

…

Darkness, that was all that was around her, that was all that remained in her heart… She sobbed in silence, for there was no one else she can turn to…

 _Nick… Shell…_ Regrets, fears, guilt, all these came in on her all at once, and there was nothing she could do about it, all she could do was cry…

She looked up at the bed before her, a soft beeping ringing through the room. And slowly the beeping softened as her surrounding faded, giving way to nothing but the darkness…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Update: I had to change some grammatical errors, also I've been busy with university, hopefully I can get a few chapters up during the holidays, but until then, hope you've enjoyed the story so far! :)

.

Yes, this was the plan all along, sorry if it's a little confusing, but here's a summary of the character of Cane:

 **Cane** has multiple personality disorder (now known as Dissociative Disorder) and that produced 5 other alters (or personalties);

 **Gee** , the one who is the leader, who we now know went dormant and has just awaken;

 **Vex** , the one formed to help cope with the trauma, she's sadistic and a identifies as a fox, and yes in such disorders it is possible to have personalities that identify as different genders or even species;

 **Jack** , the one who fuels their violent tendencies;

 **Persy** , the one who is now dead, but before that she almost got them all killed, as she is a self destructive personality;

and finally, **Shell** , the mask that conceals them all...

.

Here's some evidence of this connection:

 **#5 Be Prepared** \- Shell returns home with a headache and soon blacks out, then Vex emerges

 **#15 Two Worlds** \- we see Jack emerge in response to cuffs

 **#33 I Can Go The Distance** \- we assumed that Shell contaminated the fur sample, but that may not be the case...

 **#35 I'll Make A Man Out Of You** \- we see Jack again in response to the fight

I may have missed a few, intentionally or not :), but I hope those odd scenarios seem to clear a bit now.

.

With that said, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, I figured this might be a climax of sorts, but personally I felt like I didn't do justice to this chapter...

Have a great week ahead.


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